James Phillips is one of the unsung heroes of the South African struggle.
I graduated as a doctor in December 1966. Jameela and I left in our Vauxhall Viva for Zambia. I had been promised a job as a houseman in Kitwe. After some delay at Victoria Falls we made it to Kitwe.
Despite the simple accomodation and limited resources at that hospital it was very liberating to live in a country with no racial laws.
After a few weeks an anaesthetist Johnnie Theynsma invited me to his house. He was South African with an English wife. He had an interesting life history. He told me that he noted that I treated the Zambians with much greater respect that other expatriate doctors. His house was interesting as many of the political exiles would drop in their if they were going past. I met a number of prominent politicians there including Alfred Nzo. We had interesting chats over dinner. These ANC folks loved their Scotch. Johnny shared this love in abundance. Johnnie was a bit of a psychiatrist to these exiles. Oliver Tambo would come and discuss his personal problems with Johnny. In Johnnie's opinion Oliver was a saint ! I respected Johnnie's judgement.
After my internship we decided to go to UK to study further. Johnnie told me that I should go to his friend James Phillips. He promised to write. When I arrived at Heathrow I phoned James. Maud answered the phone and she directed me to her house. Johnnie had not written.
James had an old house on 40 Tollington Park with multiple levels. He gave me a room upstairs. It was cold. I was fed without asking. I offered payments and it was accepted. We spent 2 yrs in England total and this included intermittent stay with James and Maud.
This was another ANC exiles social meeting place. I met many big guns here at various times including Michael Harmel, Reg September ( I came to know him well), Oliver Tambo,Dr Dadoo etc.
James was a remarkable man. He was in my opinion one of the finest human being that I have met and spent some time with.
He father was a black man and his mother a Scotish woman. He related stories of how he was rejected by whites, blacks and "coloureds" in South Africa. It made him a true non-racist. He viewed all people with racist views as ignorant and never showed anger at them. His house would get many visitors. I did meet some "coloureds" with very anti-African sentiments. James would patiently try to educate them.
He was a true Communist. He was an idealist. He used to read the Morning Star and the Daily Telegraph and take both to work. The Morning Star was the Communist party daily and the Daily Telegraph a Conservative paper. I read interesting Marxist material at his house.
His polical career began as a trade unionist in the Miners union in the 40's. He was involved in some major strikes. He was one of the first exile in London. If I am not mistaken the external mission of the ANC was begun in his house when Oliver Tambo came to London.
His other virtue was his voice. He sang like Paul Robson.
The sad part of his life was that he left Maud to live with a much younger German lady.
I would very much like to know where is Maud. James passed away about 10 yrs ago. He stayed in my present house in Scarborough in the late 70's or early 80's when he came here. Although our house is modest he told me that I was living in a "European House" :-)
Thats all folks. I may add more later.
13th January 2011
{South African News} James Phillips.
Just to add to the honnouring of Comrade James Phillips;
James was invited by the Paul Robeson Committee of Toronto to partcipate in Robeson's 75th birthday. It was billed as The Voice from Africa as James was known as the African
Robeson.
I directed the concert with participation from several organizations, among them the Chilean Dance group, the Shevchenko Choir, Black Theatre Canada, Toronto Ensemble Theatre, and members of the Canadian Communist Party.
Don Mooljee