James Mpanza, a political activist and founder of the Sofasonke Party in Orlando Township, Soweto, passed away at his Orlando East home in Soweto. He was given a rousing civic funeral service and was buried at the Doornkop Cemetery. Mpanza died in 1970, but his organisation, the Sofasonke Party, still exists. In the Soweto UBC election of 1971, it took over half of the council seats, while it also took part in the 2004 elections.
eventREF E-0012148Revised
23 September 1970
South African Political activist, James Sofasonke Mpanza dies
- Updated
- 30 Sep 2019
How we know this
- 01Verwey: New Dictionary of South African Biography
- 02South African History Online, James "Sofasonke" Mpanza, [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 20 September 2013]
Last updated · 30 Sep 2019
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). South African Political activist, James Sofasonke Mpanza dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012148
South African History Online (2011) 'South African Political activist, James Sofasonke Mpanza dies', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012148 (Accessed: 7 November 2026).
South African History Online, South African Political activist, James Sofasonke Mpanza dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012148, (accessed 7 November 2026).
"South African Political activist, James Sofasonke Mpanza dies." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012148. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.
South African History Online. "South African Political activist, James Sofasonke Mpanza dies." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012148.
Also on 23 September
- 1913Women protest against passes in the Free State
- 1941Navanethem (Navi) Pillay is born
- 1948Paul Michael Sibisi, SA artist and teacher involved in setting up cultural art workshops in Natal, is born.
- 1976SA announces its decision to allow multi-racial teams to represent the country in international events
- 1979Worldwide speculation begins that a bright flash detected over the southern Indian Ocean was a South African nuclear test
- 1983Gerrie Coetzee becomes the first South African boxer to win a world heavyweight title
- 1992Goldstone Commission investigate the Bisho Massacre
- 2019Jazz veteran Dorothy Masuka dies
Search events by date
This day in history
What happened on your birthday?
SAHO is free because readers fund it. Donate →