Subject: CHRISTOFF (later Christopher)KELLY MAGEZA
CHRISTOFF (later Christopher)KELLY MAGEZA
Born 8th October,1915 at the Elim Mission Station the 3rd child of Amos Mageza and Edith Mbhalati Nkuna. He grew up with his 9 siblings on a farm which his parents bought in 1923 in Mashamba,Limpopo Province. He schooled at Elim Primary School which his father founded,then to Lemana Secondary School.then to Adams College in Natal and finally to university at Fort Hare. He aquired a Bachelor of Arts degree and a University Education Diploma from this institution. He returned form Fort Hare to teach and whilst teaching founded together with Mr Cedric Pnathudi,the Bopedi Bapedi School in Marishana in Sekhukhuni. He was then recruited in 1943 ,by Mr Nakeni,the then Principal of then the only High School in Soweto,Orlando High School,to come and work with him.
In 1945 he married,Rose Makhaukani Pandeka,the youngest of the Piet and Pauline(N'waHanisi) Pandeka siblings, a teacher by profession,from Mambedi,a farming community next to the Valdezia Mission Station,in Limpopo province. They went to live Orlando East,Soweto and were blessed with six children,Tsakane Christian Arthur, twins Evelyn Fumani and Ethel N'wambhalati(MBHALI), Aubrey Ntshikiwani, Kitts and Nkateko Piet(Peter).
In 1948 he became the founder principal of the second high school in Soweto,Pimville Secondary School. In later years he also became principal of Orlando High School.
In 1957, he resigned from the education field to become an entrepreneur. He became a coal dealer and in 1964 he bought a funeral undertaking business in Phefeni,Orlando West, Soweto.He became involved with business organizations of those days like NAFCOC,Itekeng Syndicate,Orlando Coal Owners Association.Kwacha(Pty)Ltd,Lesedi Clinic,Future Generation Housing. He was also an avid investor in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Whilst in business he was also a civic politician becoming a councillor in the the Urban Bantu Council and later a Member of Parliament in the Gazankulu Homeland which was led by Professor Hudson Ntsan'wisi.
He was a member of the then Tsonga Presbyterian Church,now dubbed the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa. Meadowlands Zone 5 parish.
He died in August 1981 in London whilst on a trip to Caux,Switzerland and London