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eventREF E-0094336Revised

Event record

Transkei’s first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, dies

Date
1 Dec 1978
Updated
30 Sep 2019
Transkei’s first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, dies

Transkei's first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, died of a heart attack. Prime Minister K.D. Matanzima announced his retirement from active politics, but would accept nomination as President. Botha Sigcau died two years after Transkei became an independent homeland. In 1960, before Sigcau became the President of Transkei, Pondoland Revolt erupted where eleven people were killed, many of them shot in the back, and more than 48 casualties were hospitalized and others arrested. Botha Sigcau was blamed for the massacre because he was seen as supporting the apartheid government.   This led to the uprising in Pondoland between 1960 and 1963.

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How we know this

  1. 01O’Malley P. ‘1978’ from Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory Dialog, [online], available atwww.nelsonmandela.org  (Accessed: 18 October 2012)
  2. 02Mnaba V. M. and Dr. Madise, M. J. S. ‘The role of the church towards the Pondo revolt in South Africa from 1960-1963’, from UNISA, [online], available at https://uir.unisa.ac.za (Accessed: 18 October 2012)

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, November 28). Transkei’s first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094336

South African History Online (2012) 'Transkei’s first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, dies', South African History Online, 28 November. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094336 (Accessed: 7 August 2026).

South African History Online, Transkei’s first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094336, (accessed 7 August 2026).

"Transkei’s first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, dies." South African History Online, 28 Nov. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094336. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Transkei’s first President, Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, dies." South African History Online. November 28, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094336.

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