Today in Kimberley's History
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First telecommunications cable connection between SA and Europe - 1879
On 31 July 1879, the first cable connection between South Africa and Europe, via Aden, was launched. It was laid by the British electrical engineer Charles Tilston Bright as part of his project to link the British Empire with growing telecommunications technologies. Amid the 1850s Bright had been the chief engineer responsible for laying the first undersea cable between Europe and North America which was completed in 1858. During the 1870s, technology improved considerably and Bright turned his attention to the British Empire, laying cables first from England to Portugal, then to Gibraltar, and across the Mediterranean to Suez. Soon Bright was in a contest with Werner von Siemens to reach India. While Siemens chose an overland route, Bright opted for a sea route. Though Siemens eventually won, Bright's network was extended from South Africa to India, Singapore and Australia. In 1890 rates from the United Kingdom to South Africa were 8s 11d per word (to Australia 9s 6d and New Zealand 10s 6d).
On 31 July 1879, the first cable connection between South Africa and Europe, via Aden, was launched. It was laid by the British electrical engineer Charles Tilston Bright as part of his project to link the British Empire with growing telecommunications technologies. Amid the 1850s Bright had been the chief engineer responsible for laying the first undersea cable between Europe and North America which was completed in 1858. During the 1870s, technology improved considerably and Bright turned his attention to the British Empire, laying cables first from England to Portugal, then to Gibraltar, and across the Mediterranean to Suez. Soon Bright was in a contest with Werner von Siemens to reach India. While Siemens chose an overland route, Bright opted for a sea route. Though Siemens eventually won, Bright's network was extended from South Africa to India, Singapore and Australia. In 1890 rates from the United Kingdom to South Africa were 8s 11d per word (to Australia 9s 6d and New Zealand 10s 6d).
Albertina Sisulu’s banning order is renewed - 1969
On 31 July 1969 Albertina Sisulu, the wife of Walter Sisulu who was serving a life sentence Robben Island had her banning order renewed for another five years after the expiry of a previous one. Reasons for the renewal of the banning order were based on a mixture of fact and lies by the police. For instance, she was accused of continuing to be a member of Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) which was indeed the case, while the spurious allegation was that Albertina had been given instruction by Nelson Mandela in March 1968 to organize a protest when his name was due to be struck off the roll of attorneys. As part of her banning orders, she was also placed under house arrest.
On 31 July 1969 Albertina Sisulu, the wife of Walter Sisulu who was serving a life sentence Robben Island had her banning order renewed for another five years after the expiry of a previous one. Reasons for the renewal of the banning order were based on a mixture of fact and lies by the police. For instance, she was accused of continuing to be a member of Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) which was indeed the case, while the spurious allegation was that Albertina had been given instruction by Nelson Mandela in March 1968 to organize a protest when his name was due to be struck off the roll of attorneys. As part of her banning orders, she was also placed under house arrest.