Wednesday, 24 September 1980
On 24 September 1980 the Director General of Transport, Mr. A.B. Eksteen outlined plans for a marine line along the South African coast, similar to the United States coastguard but with no military connection. The marine patrol organisation would reduce and coordinate the work of existing services such as those provided by Sea Fisheries, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), aircraft and vessels operated by the Department of Transport and by companies operating anti-pollution vessels and salvage tugs.
Eksteen said: “My Department is working on legislation to create an area of control extending 50 nautical miles from the coast in which such patrols would operate and have junction.”?
Tuesday, 24 September 1985
Twenty-two years old former Student Representative Council (SRC) Vice-president at the University of Transkei and staunch opponent of Transkei government, Batandwa Ndondo, was shot by police on the outskirts of Cala, Transkei. Ndondo became one of the forty-nine victims on the list compiled by the David Webster Trust. Ndondo was a cousin of the Human Rights lawyer, Dumisa Ntsebeza. Ndondo and his four visitors, one women and three men, were fetched from his home by four police officers to the outskirts of Cala village. He was shot several times while attempting to escape from his captors. A post mortem showed he had been shot eight times, at least six of the bullets entering his body after he had fallen.
Thursday, 24 September 1987
The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) is launched to articulate the interests of Traditional Leaders and act as an extra-parliamentary opposition movement. Contralesa was largely set up by Moutse Traditional Leaders, opposed to KwaNdebele Independence. The movement aligned itself with the African National Congress and the United Democratic Front.
By the time that Contralesa was launched nationally in 1989, the Traditonal Leaders part of the organisation had become one of the ANC’s most important rural partners.
After the demise of Apartheid, Contralesa campaigned for the constitutional recognition of the status, role, and powers of traditional leaders in the new democratic South Africa. As a result, Chapter 12 was drafted onto the South African constitution.
Monday, 24 September 1990
Winnie Mandela was formally charged with four counts of kidnapping and of assault, and will stand trial with seven others for the events surrounding the murder of Stompie Seipei Moeketsi in December 1988. Moeketsi was a young activist and member of the infamous Mandela Football Club, established by Winnie Mandela as a front for the political mobilisation of township youths to stand against apartheid. Jerry Richardson abducted Seipei and three other boys from the Methodist manse in Soweto, and took him to Winnie Mandela’s home. Richardson alleged that Winnie Mandela initiated the torture of Seipei, who was sjamboked and bounced on the floor by Richardson.
Tuesday, 24 September 1996
Heritage Day, the grave of Enoch Sontonga who composed and wrote the first verse and chorus of Nkosi, Sekelel’ iAfrika, was declared a national monument. A fitting memorial erected on the sitewas unveiled by President Nelson Mandela. At the ceremony President Nelson Mandela awarded the Order of Meritorious Service (Gold) posthumously to Sontonga for his service to South Africa. . His granddaughter, Mrs Ida Rabotape received the award.
Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, our national anthem, is a prayer for God’s blessing on the land and its entire people. It was composed in 1897 and was initially meant to be a school anthem. A well-known Xhosa poet Samuel Mqhayi wrote seven additional stanzas for the song.
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