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EventThe International Labour Organisation calls for South Africa's withdrawal at the Geneva Conference
On 29 June 1961, during its plenary conference in Geneva, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted a resolution condemning the racial policies of…
EventSADF's 31 Battallion is disbanded
The South African Defence Force's (SADF) 31st Battalion was disbanded at a public ceremony in the Cape Province. This Battalion was composed primarily of the…
EventPAC leader, David Sibeko shot dead in Dar-es-Salaam
Former Pan African Congress (PAC) director of Foreign Affairs and representative to the United Nations, David Sibeko, was murdered by a militant stance faction…
ArchiveA Speech to Displease All Parties by Imraan Coovadia, 11 October 2021
Fred Khumalo reminded us two years ago, on the occasions of the Mafika Gwala lecture, that as a young man he took a collection of his verse to Mafika Gwala to…
ArticleThe Mfecane: Understanding a Period of Transformation in Southern Africa
The Mfecane - known as the Difaqane or Lifaqane in Sesotho - was a period of profound political, social, and demographic transformation in southern Africa…
General South African History Timeline: 1970s
1970 11 June, It is announced that Security Police have arrested the leader of the Soweto Students’ Representative Council (SSRC), Dan S. Montsitsi in…
EventSouth West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) is founded to oppose South African rule
The South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) was founded in Windhoek, South West Africa (presently Namibia) on 19 April 1960 by Herman Toivo Ya Toivo…
Chapter 8 - The politics of Congress in the late 1950s
From: Lessons of the 1950s By Richard Monroe, March-May 1984 Chapter 8 - The politics of Congress in the late 1950s Writing in Liberation (June 1956), Nelson…
EventZuid-Afrikaansche Republiek decides that December 16 will be a public holiday called Dingaan's Day
The decision to make December 16 a holiday named Dingaan's Day was in celebration for what Voortrekkers viewed as a 'victory' over Zulu warriors near the Ncome…
Chapter 5 -The Character, Role and Significance of SASO
In this chapter I now interpret the character, role and significance of SASO. To this end, I draw on the analysis of the previous two chapters, the chapter…
EventControversial 'Black Jesus' painter, Ronald Harrison, dies
Artist, Ronald Harrison caused controversy in 1962 when he painted African National Congress (ANC) leader, Albert Luthuli as Jesus. The painting, named Black…
EventAfrikaner women march to the union buildings in protest of SA's involvement in WW2
About 10 000 Afrikaner women, led by Mrs H.C. Steyn, wife of former President M.T. Steyn, marched to the Union Buildings to protest about the South African…
EventNRP leader, Vause Raw announces that his party is ready to give the President's Council a chance
The leader of the New Republic Party (NRP), Vause Raw announced that his party was ready to give the President's Council a chance as a start on the road to a…
EventThe government launches 'Operation Iron Fist' in townships
At the height of township violence in Transvaal, President F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela held a series of meetings to discuss means of quelling the unrest…
EventThe first issue of the weekly periodical 'TIME' appeared on news stands
On this day in history, the first issue of the weekly periodical TIME appeared on newsstands. The first issue was 32 pages and featured a charcoal sketch of…
Statement at the Sixth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, Havana, Cuba by O. R. Tambo, 3 - 9 September 1979
Mr. Chairman, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, We have already had the honour and privilege of addressing this historic assembly of Heads of…
ArchiveIntroduction by Howard Barrell
ENEMIES DEPEND UPON EACH OTHER to sustain their wars and, if neither is a clear-cut winner in that process, no less so if they make peace. This was so on…
How Zweli ‘misled’ Khwezi, 17 September 2017
A new book reveals how ANC presidential hopeful Zweli Mkhize tried to manipulate President Jacob Zuma’s rape accuser into dropping the charges against him. …
ArticleNatal Workers’ Theatre in the 1980s
Introduction Starting in the late 1970’s and reaching its height in the 1980’s, the South African province of Natal (now known as KwaZulu Natal – KZN) saw a…
PlaceBuntingville, Eastern Cape
The South African mission stations of Buntingville and Old Bunting, founded in the Eastern Cape in the nineteenth Century, were named after Sidney Percival…
EventThe Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko's death
The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko's death as well as a post-mortem report…
Statement at the Eighth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries by O. R. Tambo, Harare, 1 - 6 September 1986
Mr. Chairman, Esteemed Heads of State and Government, Distinguished Ministers and fellow delegates, Comrades leaders of the liberation movements, Ladies…
January 8th Statements -Statement of the National Executive Committee on the occasion of the 91th Anniversary of the ANC - 8 January 2003
Compatriots and Comrades, Today, on January 8th, we observe and celebrate the 91st Anniversary of our movement, the African National Congress. This day also…
Chapter Three - The Black Republic Question and the Third Period
From the book: Johnny Gomas Voice of the working class: A political Biography by Doreen Musson The South African struggle received little attention from the…
EventIFP proposes a truce with ANC
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) proposed a truce with the African National Congress (ANC) as an effort to distil violent clashes between members of the two…
Working Life - Factories, Township and Popular Culture 1886 - 1940 - Themes to Think About
From the book: Working Life - Factories, Township and Popular Culture 1886 - 1940 by Luli Callinicos Themes to Think About This Feature has shown how working…
Working Life - Factories, Township and Popular Culture 1886 - 1940 - Protest and Resistence
From the book: Working Life - Factories, Township and Popular Culture 1886 - 1940 by Luli Callinicos Topic Towns People Between 1886 and 1914 people…
Address of the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, to the 118th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly: Cape Town, 13 April 2008
IMPORTANT NOTE: CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY – Due to time constraints, President Mbeki omitted portions of his speech during the delivery, but the full prepared…
Document 18 - The Pretoria Minute
The South African state saw in the campaign for the Congress of the People and the Freedom Charter an act of treason. Consequently, on the early morning of 5…
ArchiveRestoration of the Old Cape Archives by Michael Scurr (The Heritage Portal), 03 October 2016
In 1996 Michael Scurr penned the following article on the restoration of the Old Cape Archives (today the Centre for the Book). It was published in Restorica,…