Delving into the dusty and historical archives the Benoni City Times’ new title website, www.benonicitytimes.co.za, takes you on a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Taking you on a trip down memory lane. This image is of Benoni in the early 1900s. Image supplied by Glynis Cox Millett-Clay.
With South Africa’s fifth democratic general election taking place on Wednesday, May 7, Flashback Friday is going back 20 years to the special Benoni City Times election issue from Friday, April 29, 1994, one of the most exciting periods in the country’s history. This week’s Flashback Friday takes a look at what was said in the run-up to the 1994 elections. (NOTE: This edition had gone to press before the elections were held).
The polling stations in the Benoni area where residents could cast their historical ballot in 1994.Another election story in the BCT’s Friday, April 29, 1994, edition.The ANC will ‘forgive but never forget’. Then leader of the ANC’s PWV region Tokyo Sexwale received a hero’s welcome when he gave a speech at the Actonville Community Centre.A message from soon-to-be President Nelson Mandela that was placed in the Benoni City Times by the ANC’s Benoni branch in the April 29, 1994, newspaper.Even hamburger joints were getting in on the 1994 election action with one particular franchise selling burgers at R3.95 each.In other non-election news Benonians bid adieu to the popular Constantia Cinema as it closed its doors on April 21, 1994. The staff who worked at the cinema made some emotional comments in this article.The Slow-Mag Marathon is marking its 22nd anniversary on Sunday. In the second ever marathon it was Benoni’s road running superstar Frith van der Merwe, running in the colours of Benoni Northerns, who won the second Slow-Mag Gold 42.2km women’s race while Sikhumbuzo Dlamini won the men’s event.