I'm thinking about the #NeilAggett inquest and I cannot understand why it has taken so long for this day to arrive. It shouldn't have taken the family's own resources for the state to investigate a death in detention. What abour families without such resources?
Hundreds of activists were killed in detention. Not all of their families can afford resources to dig up new evidence relating to their death. A death in detention should be investigated without any hesitation. These were crimes against humanity. And they were covered up.
So for the sake of correcting history (that these weren't accidents or suicides as some are falsely regarded) the state should have worked towards holding perpetrators accountable beyond mere TRC hearings.
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Ben Turok was serving a three-year sentence at Pretoria Central around the time that Vuyisile Mini, Wilson Khayingo and Zinakile Mkabi were executed. Of this day in history he recalled, “I was already awake when the singing began again in the early morning…And then, unexpectedly
the voice of Vuyisile Mini came roaring down the hushed passages. Evidently standing on a stool, with his face reaching up to a barred vent his cell, his unmistakable bass voice was enunciating his final message in Xhosa to the world he was leaving.
In a voice charged with emotion but stubbornly defiant he spoke of the struggle waged by the African National Congress and of his absolute conviction of the victory to come. And then it was Khayingo’s turn, followed by Mkaba, as they too defied all prison rules to shout out their
The Liliesleaf raid happened on this day in 1963 leading to the arrests of the Umkhonto Wesizwe High Command. Prior to this Mandela (already captured in 1962) was abruptly transferred from Robben Island to Pretoria Central.
The High Command was aware that Liliesleaf was increasingly becoming an unsafe haven, so plans to move its headquarters were under way by the time this day in history took place. They had identified a property in Krugersdorp as a potential new hideout.
Liliesleaf was purchased using Comminist Party funds in 1961. Mandela moved into its servant quarters under the name, David Motsamayi. The Goldreich family were the occupants of the main home. Of course this was to create the impression of a farm owner- farm worker relationship.
In 1964, during the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela said, "The ANC has never at any period of its history advocated a revolutionary change in the economic structure of the country, nor has it, to the best of my recollection, ever condemned capitalist society."
That man's statement is a little all over the place because if the ANC did not condemn capitalism, there would be no need to "work" anyone because they all felt the same way. The only one isolated from his comrades on Robben Island was Sobukwe.
Mandela was in prison for 27 years (1962-1990) and never claimed to have stayed on the island for 27 years. It's in his autobiography.
The story of Solomon Linda is incredibly painful. Duped into selling away his rights to the song, Mbube. He passed away on this day in 1962.
Linda was born in Msinga, KZN on 9 December. He moved to Joburg in 1931 and worked in a furniture shop called Mayi Mayi. While in Joburg he founded the group Evening Birds. Their most famous song was Mbube.
He sold his rights to Gallo Records for 10 shillings in 1949. The Evening Bird's career, they recorded much of their music at the Gallo studios, founded by Eric Gallo. Apparently rights of the song could go back to Linda and his progeny after 25 years. It never happened.
For this women's day here is a thread on women we should know. I want to start with Mazhar Makatemele who was also known as 'Black Sara'. She was the first Black woman in Sweden. How? She was kidnapped from Kwa-Zulu Natal by enslavers in 1846. She is buried in Sweden.
Rafaela Stålbalk has done some work on trying to uncover this story. Search a blog called Black Women in Europe for more information on Makatemele and her daughter.
Like last time there's no chronological order. So next up is the Mother of Azania, Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe (nee Mathe). Among her contributions is that she led a nurses strike at Victoria Hospital back in 1948 in Alice, Eastern Cape.
We're 8 days away from the 45th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising. On 8 June 1976, two police officers walked into Naledi High School looking for a learner named Enos Ngutshane. Ngutshane was a SASM leader and these officers wanted to take him in for questioning.
Naledi High school students were having none of that. They threw stones at those cops and overturned the police's car. Ngutshane was wanted for writing a letter to the Minister of Bantu administration saying the students did not want to be taught in Afrikaans.
The incident coincidentally took place on anniversary of Naledi High's founding. The school was established on this day in 1963. Ngutshane was never part of the 16 June protests as he was arrested on the 14th for that letter he wrote. Ngutshane was in Matric that year.