Wednesday, 31 July 1872
Delagoa Bay is the natural harbour along which Maputo, in Mozambique, is situated. The first Europeans to “discover” this bay were the Portuguese, who became the ruling colonial power in Mozambique. Their presence in southern Africa can be traced back to the 15th century.
Initial contact between the Boers and Portuguese was established after the Great Trek, once the Boers had settled in the interior by the 1840s. This settlement soon became known as the Transvaal, or the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR).
The Boers lost their access to a harbour when the British annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia. In order to expand their opportunity for trade, and to limit interaction and economic dependence on the British, the Boers had to gain access to a harbour near the interior.
After a failed attempt to gain access to Delagoa Bay, by concluding a treaty of friendship with the Portuguese, the Boers decided to construct a railway line between the ZAR and Delagoa Bay. On 31 July 1872, the Volksraad or parliament of the ZAR approved the construction of a railway line that would link the Transvaal to a much-needed harbour.
The construction of the railway line was completed in 1895, when the transportation demands of the gold mining industry, rapidly developing in the Transvaal, had increased significantly.
Tuesday, 31 July 1894
In April 1894, Chief Malaboch (Mmaleboho, Mmaleboxo) of the Bahananwa (Xananwa) people refused to leave his traditional mountain kingdom of Blouberg as ordered by the Transvaal Republic (ZAR) Government. The authorities took action through forced removal, which ultimately resulted in the Malaboch war, with the chief and his subjects defending their territory. As it became evident that the Bahananwa people were losing the war against the soldiers of Commandant-General Piet Joubert, they began surrendering, and subsequently their chief followed suit. On the day he was taken prisoner, chief Malaboch twice attempted suicide by jumping into a fire, but both attempts at suicide failed. He was tried by a council of war on 2 August 1894 and was found guilty on all charges. He was never sentenced but kept prisoner of war until his release by the British authorities in 1900 during Anglo-Boer War 2. The chief returned to his people and ruled until his death in 1939.
Friday, 31 July 1981
Federation of South African Women (FSAW or FEDSAW) President and the first person to be banned under the 1976 Internal Security Act, Fatima Meer, was banned again for a further five years. Her first ban emanated from trying to organise a rally with Steve Biko. Shortly after her release in 1976, Fatima survived an assassination attempt, when her house was petrol bombed. Her second ban followed the re-emergence of FEDSAW. Through her organisation, Meer was one of the initiators of the Free Mandela Campaign launched in 1981 to call for the release of Nelson Mandela and all political prisoners. She was also involved in campaigns to save the lives of African National Congress(ANC) members sentenced to death, and mobilised support for their families, as well as for other political prisoners, detainees and banned people and their families. In 1981, FEDSAW was once again one of the initiators of a call to set up regional committees to co-ordinate a campaign to boycott the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the founding in 1961 of the (white) Republic of South Africa. The federation also took up grassroots issues, fighting against rent and bus fare increases, against forced removals, and for health and childcare facilities. When school pupils engaged in protests and boycotts, it expressed its solidarity with them. It was the result of these actions by FEDSAW that saw Meer banned for a further five years.
Tuesday, 31 July 1990
In February 1990, President F.W. de Klerk appointed Mr Justice Louis Harms, a Supreme Court judge, to investigate into alleged hit-squads. On 11 February 1990, the SA Defence Force (SADF) admitted to the existence of a secret unit called the Civil Cooperation Bureau (CCB), which was allegedly involved in hit-squad operations against anti-apartheid activists. De Klerk said in March 1990 that he had been informed of the CCB only in January of that year, and that he would not protect any minister found guilty of criminal malpractice. Following this, the minister of police, Adriaan Vlok, and the minister of defence,Magnus Malan, were demoted in July. The chief of the SADF, Gen. Jannie Geldenhuys, announced on 31 July 1990 that the CCB would be operationally disbanded. The members of the CCB would be incorporated into the South African army to complete the dismantling of the CCB.
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