Zaccheus Richard Mahabane was twice President-General on the African National Congress (ANC), the first time between 1924 and 1927, and the second time between 1937 and 1940. Mahabane in 1924 replaced Sefako Mapogo Makgatho and was turn succeeded by Josiah Tshangana Gumede; in 1937 he defeated Pixley ka Isaka Seme in the annual elections for the office and by a minor margin in 1940 Alfred Bitini Xuma took over the reigns of the organization. This period from 1924 to 1940 the ANC was struggling to modernize itself. It was only in the decade from 1940 to 1949 under the leadership of Dr. Xuma that the ANC managed to pull itself completely on the side of modernity as a political organization. This process of struggling to modernize the political structures of the ANC is evident in Z. R. Mahabane’s first call as president for the annual meeting of the organization which appeared in John L. Dube’s Ilanga lase Natal newspaper: “The political and industrial situation of the country in its relation to peoples of African origin and descent, those domiciled in the Native Territories of Bechuanaland, Basutoland, swaziland and the Transkei not excepted, is fraught of possibilities and potentialities or contingencies of a most menacing and threatening character. Our labouring classes are threatened with dismissal or eclusion from the industrial activities of the land after they had helped to build the industries of this land of their fathers: our peasant classes as well as detribalised peoples now living in urban areas are menaced with segregation proposals; our womenfolk entering domestic service are to be subjected to the indignities of medical examination by white doctors and the humiliation of carrying Passes; our brothers who at present enjoy a measure of self-government in the Native Territories of Bechuanaland, Basutoland and Swaziland under the behign and motherly protection of Great Britain are threatened with annexation and incorporation into the misgoverned so-called Union of South Africa, to say nothing of the great process that is going on of ousting the Blackman from the land or reducing him to a condition of veritable slavery or perpetual serfdom in the land originally ordained by Providence as his eternal home. The National Congress was organized by Dr. P. ka Isaka Seme with the deliberate knowledge, consent and sanction of the Bantu Kings, Chiefs and Leaders at Bloemfonteinin 1912 for the main object of safe-guarding and protecting the interests of the Bantu. The forsaking or refraining from attendance at the annual gatherings of the Association on the part of those to whom the people look for leadership and protection amounts to national suicide of the most possible description. We cannot, we dare not sit with folded arms and watch the process going before our view of the gradual extermination of our people as a race of their gradual annihilation as a people of their elimination as a national entity in the political economy of Southern Africa, and their ultimate reduction tomthe position of a race of mere ‘hewers of wood and drawers of water’ for another race of people who have no more rights of existence as a people and special privileges and facilities than we. This dark and critical hour in the life history of the Bantu race loudly and eloquently calls for unity of thought, unity of feeling, unity of expression, unity of action, unity of movement, unity of front, for the sinking of all petty differences, all tribal jealousies, all mutual suspicions and distrust. I, therefore, in my humble capacity as President for the time being of the African National Congress, humbly appeal to all Paramount Chiefs, Chiefs, Chieftains and Headmen of the African race, all political, industrial, agricultural and religious organizations at present in existence and purporting to represent the various interests of the African people to attend or send representatives to the Johannesburg Convention” (“the 14th Annual Convention of the African National Congress”, March 27, 1925). The Convention took place from April 17th to the 21st. It was at this Convetion that the name of ANC changed officially from the previous one of South African Native National Congress to that of South African African National Congress. This change from ‘Native’ to ‘African’ was a modernizing gesture. Equally the call by Mahabane for the SIX unities articulated above and their actualization had a profoundly modernizing effect on the historical consciousness of the African. This preoccupation with modernity in political matters on the part of Mahabane is not surprising because in 1917 he joined the Native National Congress upon hearing the political speeches of Charlotte Manye Maxeke and her husband Marshall Maxeke. Both of them were among the most outstanding proselytizers of modernity. Charlotte Manye Maxeke was arguably the most remarkable apostle of modernity in South African history in matters concerning education and women’s rights. From the moment of their return to South Africa from United States in 1900, having studied under W. E. B. Du Bois at Wilberforce University in Ohio, they were intent on infusing into the African people the new spirit of modern consciousness. In later years he seemed to have played a minor role within the ANC.  In 1935 he was one of the principal convenors of the All African Convention in opposition to the racist machinations of the Prime Minister Hertzog. In 1943 when the All African Convention  affiliated with the Non-European Unity Movement (NEUM), he became president of the later organization. Some of his selected speeches have been assembled in a book form: The Good Fight: The Selected Speeches of Rev. Zaccheus R. Mahabane (Program of African Studies, Northwestern University, 1965).