Today in Kimberley's History
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SANNC meeting attended by a large number of people - 1913
A meeting in Johannesburg, called by the South African Native National Congress, now African National Congress (ANC), is attended by a large number of people, men and women, from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. The meeting was convened to discuss the conditions caused by the Native Land Act of 1913 and to chart a way forward. Also in the agenda of the meeting was a report from a delegation, which was earlier sent to Cape Town to present African objections against the act. The report was a disappointment to the majority of people attending the meeting. Dr Walter Rubusana, presenter of the report, informed the public that the deputation was able to meet with the Minister of Native Affairs and few parliamentarians. They learned that the government would not delay the passage of the act to please the Afrikaner community in the Free State and Lord Gladstone would not agree to withhold his assent to the act because he claimed that it was not constitutional. The act, which was already six weeks old, was read to the meeting and other members shared their hardship caused by the act. As a result of knowing that the South African government would not act to alleviate hardships caused by the act, the decision was also taken to send a deputation to London and meet with Her Majesty's Imperial Government. The deputation was made up of Solomon Thekisho Plaatje, Dr Walter Rubusana, and Pixley Ka Seme.
A meeting in Johannesburg, called by the South African Native National Congress, now African National Congress (ANC), is attended by a large number of people, men and women, from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. The meeting was convened to discuss the conditions caused by the Native Land Act of 1913 and to chart a way forward. Also in the agenda of the meeting was a report from a delegation, which was earlier sent to Cape Town to present African objections against the act. The report was a disappointment to the majority of people attending the meeting. Dr Walter Rubusana, presenter of the report, informed the public that the deputation was able to meet with the Minister of Native Affairs and few parliamentarians. They learned that the government would not delay the passage of the act to please the Afrikaner community in the Free State and Lord Gladstone would not agree to withhold his assent to the act because he claimed that it was not constitutional. The act, which was already six weeks old, was read to the meeting and other members shared their hardship caused by the act. As a result of knowing that the South African government would not act to alleviate hardships caused by the act, the decision was also taken to send a deputation to London and meet with Her Majesty's Imperial Government. The deputation was made up of Solomon Thekisho Plaatje, Dr Walter Rubusana, and Pixley Ka Seme.
Members of the ANC and SACP are detained due to Operation Vula - 1990
On 25 July 1990 government security forces detained approximately forty members of the African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP). Among those arrested were Sathyandranath 'Mac' Maharaj, Pravin Gordhan, Siphiwe Nyanda and Billy Nair. They were accused of being part of the ANC’splan called Operation Vula. During 1986 the ANC launched an underground operation called Operation Vula. The main objectives of this operation were to smuggle freedom fighters into South Africa and maintain open communication links between the ANC Leaders in exile, at home and in prison. With the unbanning of the ANC in 1990, a decision was taken that the ANC should continue with Operation Vula because there were no guarantees that the government would negotiate in good faith with the liberation movement. According to Lyndall Beddy, President F.W. de Klerk wrote in his autobiography: ‘In July 1990 the security forces uncovered a major ANC plot, code named Operation Vula, which was entirely at odds with the organisation’s undertakings in the Groote Schuur Minute and its professed commitment to a peaceful and negotiated constitutional settlement. In terms of the plot, the ANC had infiltrated key operatives into South Africa “including Mac Maharaj and Sipiwe Nyanda in 1988 and Ronnie Kasrils in 1990” to organize an underground network to prepare for revolution.’
On 25 July 1990 government security forces detained approximately forty members of the African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP). Among those arrested were Sathyandranath 'Mac' Maharaj, Pravin Gordhan, Siphiwe Nyanda and Billy Nair. They were accused of being part of the ANC’splan called Operation Vula. During 1986 the ANC launched an underground operation called Operation Vula. The main objectives of this operation were to smuggle freedom fighters into South Africa and maintain open communication links between the ANC Leaders in exile, at home and in prison. With the unbanning of the ANC in 1990, a decision was taken that the ANC should continue with Operation Vula because there were no guarantees that the government would negotiate in good faith with the liberation movement. According to Lyndall Beddy, President F.W. de Klerk wrote in his autobiography: ‘In July 1990 the security forces uncovered a major ANC plot, code named Operation Vula, which was entirely at odds with the organisation’s undertakings in the Groote Schuur Minute and its professed commitment to a peaceful and negotiated constitutional settlement. In terms of the plot, the ANC had infiltrated key operatives into South Africa “including Mac Maharaj and Sipiwe Nyanda in 1988 and Ronnie Kasrils in 1990” to organize an underground network to prepare for revolution.’