Ashby Solomzi Peter Mda (6 April 1916 – 7 August 1993), also known as A. P. Mda was a South African teacher, lawyer, political activist and co founder of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). He was also one of the founders of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. Personal life Peter Mda was born the 6 April 1916 in the Herschel District of the Eastern Cape. He was given the name “Ashby” as he was born on Ash Wednesday. He took the name “Peter” after joining the Catholic church. His mother, Mildred Mei, worked as a school teacher and his father, Gxumekelani Charles Mda, was a peasant farmer, headman and local shoemaker. Education Mda's parents were members of the Anglican church, however, A.P. Mda and his siblings attended the local Catholic school. Mda later attended other Catholic schools, namely St Francis School in Aliwal North and Mariazell School north of Matatiele. Mda pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Mda also studied law through correspondence courses and eventually graduated with a law degree. Career After qualifying as a teacher, Mda was unable to secure employment in the Eastern Cape. He then found work as a gardener and cook in East London. He moved to Witwatersrand in an attempt to secure a teaching job teaching but remained unsuccessful. He continued to work in Witwatersrand as a gardener, cook and then a steel foundry. He eventually found a teaching post at Germiston Catholic Primary. He also worked at St John Berchman, a primary school in Orlando, Soweto from 1938. He continued to study through correspondence as to eventually become a lawyer. Political career A. P. Mda began his political career at the All African Convention (AAC) meeting in Bloemfontein in 1936. He attended the meeting to cover the proceedings for Umlindi we Nyanga, an East London newspaper. A. P. Mda defended the AAC leader, D. D. T. Jabavu, who was suspected of betraying their mandate and having dealings with J. B. M. Hertzog with regards to the Hertzog Bill of 1936. As support for the AAC dwindled, Mda began advocating for African Nationalism which, according to Mda, had excluded non-African groups. Mda then became a supporter of Dr A. B. Xuma and the African National Congress (ANC). Mda participated in the African Teachers Campaign advocating for higher wages in 1940 which was led by