Contributions Of Activists Like Sol Plaatje Should Not Be In Vain

As the African National Congress ANC marks 113 years of its formation on Wednesday, a former journalist and author, Lesley Mofokeng, who is also the Sol Plaatje scholar and journalism lecturer at Wits University says as part of celebrating the anniversary, contributions of activists like Sol Plaatje should not be in vain.

Sol Plaatje was a founding member and first General Secretary of the South African Native National Congress SANNC. It later became the African National Congress in 1923 and now one of the oldest liberation organisations that fought for freedom and justice.

Plaatje was also a teacher, court interpreter and novelist among his many roles. Mofokeng says Plaatje stood for the rights of Black people.

"It is interesting to note that in 1911 in December, there was a meeting in Nancefield, Johannesburg that took place when Sol Plaatje himself suggested January date as the launch date of the then South African Native National Congress. Furthermore, he is the one who stood up in opposition in the name South African Native National Congress, he suggested that it should be given an African name. One of those was imbizo yabantu."

Born in the Free State in 1877, Plaatje relocated to Kimberley where he worked as a postman. A political analyst says Plaatje must be remembered as a person who fought for social justice.