South African History
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Sol Plaatje: The tragic cost of serving his people
An examination of Dr Modiri Molema’s 1965 biography of Solomon Plaatje reveals the personal sacrifice, financial distress and heartbreak behind the intellectual and political…
Editorial: Why Sol Plaatje still matters
Marking 150 years since the birth of Sol Plaatje, we reflect on the enduring legacy of the pioneering author, journalist, and ANC founder whose work continues to illuminate South…
Sol Tshekisho Plaatje: His name is everywhere . . . his legacy must be too
Marking 150 years since the birth of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje, Chancellor Thebe Ikalafeng reflects on how this pioneer of African dignity should be central to our education and…
A Motswana writer, author who argued with colonial power through letters
Beyond his celebrated books, Solomon T. Plaatje used letters, journalism, and Setswana orthography as weapons of resistance against colonial authority, shaping modern African…
10 moments Plaatje changed SA forever
On his 150th birthday, a reappraisal of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje highlights 10 pivotal moments where his pioneering journalism, activism, and intellectual work transformed South…
The names Robben Island refuses to let history forget
The Robben Island Museum's Wall of Remembrance is restoring the names and legacies of unsung apartheid-era political prisoners, including Black Consciousness activist Lusiba…
Beyond attire: Heritage must help build the South Africa we want
Heritage Month should go beyond food and traditional attire to prompt deeper reflections on history, social cohesion, and the future South Africans want to build together.
The women history forgot are still here
Marking 70 years since the 1956 Women's March, an exhibition of Alf Kumalo's photography explores the depth, joy, and defiance of the women who fought against apartheid pass laws.
SARB launches new R2 coins honouring Charlotte Maxeke and 1956 Women’s March
The South African Reserve Bank has launched two new commemorative R2 circulation coins celebrating struggle icon Charlotte Maxeke and the historic 1956 Women’s March.
Queen Hoho: An inspirational woman warrior and leader of peace
Exploring the historical legacy of Queen Hoho, the courageous Khoi monarch whose strategic diplomacy with Chief Rharhabe united Khoi and amaXhosa heritage and redefined female…
The road that brought Subotzky to Johannesburg
Artist Mikhael Subotzky's new exhibition in Johannesburg explores his family's multigenerational journey, from Nazi Germany to South Africa, intertwining personal history with…
Before 1956, there was 1913: The forgotten women of the first pass war
While South Africa celebrates the women of 1956, this article sheds light on the largely forgotten women of 1913. Exactly 43 years earlier, thousands of black women in the Orange…
The shirt that unbuttoned freedom
At the opening of Presidential Shirt's new flagship store, actor John Kani and former Constitutional Court judge Albie Sachs reflect on how Nelson Mandela's iconic Madiba shirt…
Fifty years on, ‘Rise '76’ asks what we still owe the generation of June 16th
Running at the Market Theatre, 'Rise '76: The Story of June 16th' explores the profound impact of the Soweto Uprising through the lens of playwright Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni.…
‘Rise ’76’ confronts a generation haunted by how little it has done with its inherited freedom
A powerful and emotionally layered theatrical work revisits the 1976 Soweto Uprising through testimony, memory, contradiction and unresolved generational grief