They were Christians and worked for missionaries at mission stations in South Africa. We want to know how much was budgeted for the refurbishment project because it involves taxpayers’ money. There were no sustainable plans to keep the area clean and presentable.”  He was a founder member and first General Secretary of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), which would become the Plaatje was the first black South African to write a novel in English – Plaatje made three visits to Britain. We have a right to know if anyone wrongly benefitted from his legacy. Sol Plaatje's grave at the West End Cemetery.

He was educated at … sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFWillan1984 ( sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFWillan1984 ( sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFPlaatjeComaroff1973 ( sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFWillan1984 (Government Gazette of South Africa, No. His parents were Christians who belonged to the Setswana-speaking Barolong tribe. The family of Sol Plaatje has accused the Northern Cape government of “desecration” by putting a “cage” around the political icon’s grave in what appears to be a rushed spruce-up project ahead of a planned wreath-laying by President Cyril Ramaphosa n. Finger injury rules Markram out of test series v England. His novel Both of these were called "remarkably good" translations in a 1949 study. The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture stated that it would provide comment at a later stage. Plaatje indicated that the family was considering the option of cordoning off the entire area to enable members of the public to visit his grave from a respectable distance. Picture: Supplied Family spokesperson and trustee of the Sol Plaatje Trust, Gopolong Daniel Plaatje, on Friday stated that the poor state of the grave was a sign of disrespect. There he met many people of similar views. “While there was much pomp and ceremony to ensure that the site was spruced up before the ANC celebrations, today his grave is unkept and an eyesore. When Solomon was four, the family moved to Pniel One was the cinema and theatrical impresario Decades passed before Plaatje began to receive the recognition he deserved. 18694, Pretoria: 27 February 1998. sfn error: no target: CITEREFHellmannAbrahams1949here:_R.H._W._Shepherd:_African_Literature ( They said the erection of such a cage was an insult not only to the family but to Sol Plaatje himself. © Diamond Fields Advertiser Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje (1878-1932) was a South African writer whose historical novel Mhudi depicts the attempts of an African tribe and a group of Boers to attain their freedom. The family did not agree with the cage that was so hurriedly erected around his grave. Work started at the administrative section about a fortnight ago.”  The cemetery is a large area and we expect visible improvements at the site in the next month or so. Plaatje family members from across the country called a press briefing at Sol Plaatje museum at Kimberley in the Northern Cape. He deserves to be remembered in a dignified manner. Plaatje was born in Doornfontein near Boshof, Orange Free State (now Free State Province, South Africa), the sixth of eight sons. Family spokesperson and trustee of the Sol Plaatje Trust, Gopolong Daniel Plaatje, on Friday stated that the poor state of the grave was a sign of disrespect. “As there is a shortage of space at the cemetery, the graves are close to each other. WHILE the 88th anniversary of the death of Solomon “Rasenti” Tshekisho Plaatje was commemorated on June 19, his family believes that his legacy remains forgotten, as his resting place is derelict and overgrown with long grass at the West End Cemetery. After leaving school, he moved to Kimberley in 1894 where he became a Shortly thereafter, he became a court interpreter for the British authorities during the After the war, he was optimistic that the British would continue to grant qualified franchise to all males, but they gave political rights to whites only in the 1910 As an activist and politician, he spent much of his life in the struggle for the enfranchisement and liberation of African people. "Much of what he strove for came to nought," writes his biographer Brian Willan, "his political career was gradually forgotten, his manuscripts were lost or destroyed, his published books largely unread.

A fence that was erected, in partnership with the South African Heritage Resource Agency and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture in December 2019, to secure the grave and prevent vandalism was removed by family members in January as they felt that they had not been consulted first. However, this would require diplomatic talks with the families of those who are also buried in close proximity to his grave.” Spokesperson for Sol Plaatje Municipality, Thoko Riet, stated that cleaning teams started to clean the West End Cemetery about two weeks ago. The family felt that the “locked cage” was hastily put up shortly before the ANC’s 108th celebrations for the purposes of a wreath laying ceremony. He added that the family members were happy to allow members of the general public to visit his grave. One of the descendants Richard Plaatje says they are happy and relieved, now that the cage has been removed.