1914 – The South African Native National Congress Meets in Kimberley

On 27 February 1914, delegates of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), the forerunner of today's African National Congress (ANC), assembled in St John's Hall, Kimberley, for a special conference that would continue until 2 March 1914. The meeting was convened in response to the Natives' Land Act of 1913, legislation that fundamentally reshaped land ownership in South Africa.

The Act severely restricted African land ownership and occupation, confining Africans to designated areas and making it increasingly difficult for African tenant farmers to remain on white-owned land except as labourers. It marked one of the earliest legislative foundations of the system of racial segregation that would later develop into apartheid. Delegates were welcomed by Joseph Kokozela on behalf of the Kimberley and Beaconsfield branches of the SANNC. Their purpose was clear: to develop a united national response to the injustices created by the new law.

Among those attending was Sol Plaatje, Kimberley's journalist, author, interpreter and political leader. Deeply affected by the suffering he witnessed, Plaatje travelled extensively across South Africa—often by bicycle—documenting the experiences of African families who had been dispossessed of their homes and livelihoods. His observations were later published in his landmark book, Native Life in South Africa, which remains one of the most important contemporary accounts of the impact of the Land Act.

The conference demonstrated Kimberley's growing importance as a centre of African political thought. It brought together leaders from across the country who believed that constitutional protest, careful documentation and national unity offered the best hope of challenging unjust laws.

Did You Know?

Sol Plaatje's book Native Life in South Africa, published in 1916, remains one of the most influential firsthand accounts of the devastating effects of the 1913 Natives' Land Act. Plaatje was the first Secretary-General of SANNC, elected in Bloemfontein on 8 January 1912

1978 – Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Dies in Kimberley

On 27 February 1978, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe died at Kimberley General Hospital after a long battle with lung cancer. He was just 53 years old. Sobukwe is remembered as one of South Africa's most principled political leaders. As the founding president of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), he became internationally known following the anti-pass campaign of 1960 and the events surrounding the Sharpeville Massacre.

His imprisonment and subsequent detention under the unique "Sobukwe Clause" made him one of the apartheid government's most closely controlled political opponents. After his release from Robben Island, Sobukwe was subjected to years of house arrest in Kimberley. Refusing to let his restrictions define him, he studied law, completed his articles, and established his own legal practice in Galeshewe in 1975. Initially prohibited from appearing in court, he was eventually permitted to practise after the government relaxed the restriction, although newspapers were still forbidden from quoting him in court proceedings.

When Sobukwe developed lung cancer, even medical treatment was complicated by the conditions imposed upon him. He was eventually allowed to travel to Johannesburg and later to Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, but every journey remained subject to police reporting requirements and strict government controls. Friends and supporters repeatedly appealed for more compassionate treatment as his health deteriorated. Despite receiving specialist care, Sobukwe returned to Kimberley, where he died on 27 February 1978.

His funeral was held on 11 March 1978, and he was buried in Graaff-Reinet, the town where he had been born.

Today, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe is recognised as one of South Africa's foremost champions of justice, human dignity and democratic freedom. Kimberley proudly preserves his legacy through the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Heritage Site, where he lived and practised law during the final years of his life. The city state hospital is named after him on Du Toitspan Road.

Did You Know?

Robert Sobukwe's Kimberley law practice operated from the historic building in Galeshewe where the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Heritage Site is located today, preserving the memory of one of South Africa's most respected freedom fighters.