Remembering the 646 South Africans who died when the SS Mendi sank off the English coast 100 years ago, South Africa will today honour and remember members of the South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC) who lost their lives during the sinking of the SS Mendi 100 years ago.
President Jacob Zuma is expected to deliver the main address as the South African National Defence force (SANDF) will be hosting Armed Forces Day at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium today, and to also commemorate the 1917 SS Mendi Tragedy where more than 600 South African soldiers died when the SS Mendi sunk on the icy waters off Southampton on its way to France.
About 616 South Africans of which 607 of them were black troops died in the tragedy when the SS Mendi was struck by another South African vessel, the SS Darro, on the morning of February 21, 1917
As the main functionary, the president will take the salute from the South African National Defence Force during the military parade. It is a day on which the South African population honours men and women of the South African National Defence Force by affirming its support and gratitude to them for upholding the constitution of the Republic and defending the territorial integrity of the Republic and protecting its people.
Like so many other military disasters, the story of the SS Mendi is a story of supreme courage in the face of death and valour shown between brothers toward each other in dire circumstances. The courage displayed by these men has remained a legend in South African military history.
