The PAC has contributed immensely to the Struggle against apartheid. Some of its members were killed by the security police and their families don't know where they are buried. Some died in exile and their remains are still buried there.
Yet, the contribution of the Africanist party is deliberately underplayed and disregarded. In the past, the apartheid regime intentionally misrepresented our history. That was expected, but the apartheid government never renamed our important historical days to distort past events. For instance, June 16 was commemorated as June 16. So was Sharpeville Day – March 21 marks Sharpeville Day.
On March 21 1960, the PAC, under the leadership of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, organised a peaceful march against the pass laws. The regime reacted violently and killed 68 innocent anti-apartheid marchers and injured 180 people. Most victims were in Sharpeville. In 1994, the ANC was democratically elected into power.
One of the things the governing party did was rename places (Pretoria to Tshwane, for instance) and public buildings. This was applauded and considered a step in the right direction. But the ANC renamed everything after its members, disregarding the names of other political parties such as the PAC. The ANC also renamed past historical days such as Dingaan's Day.
In its wisdom, it unashamedly renamed Sharpeville Day Human Rights Day. The ANC is distorting our historical days, including June 16, now Youth Day.
Here is the thing: the ANC was not involved in organising Sharpeville Day and June 16. Therefore, it doesn't want to shine the spotlight on those who were at the forefront organising these important events. Hence, it has renamed them. History will judge the ANC for desecrating our historical days. – Thabile Mange
READER LETTER | ANC desecrates important historical days
Image: Moeletsi Mabe.
The PAC has contributed immensely to the Struggle against apartheid. Some of its members were killed by the security police and their families don't know where they are buried. Some died in exile and their remains are still buried there.
Yet, the contribution of the Africanist party is deliberately underplayed and disregarded. In the past, the apartheid regime intentionally misrepresented our history. That was expected, but the apartheid government never renamed our important historical days to distort past events. For instance, June 16 was commemorated as June 16. So was Sharpeville Day – March 21 marks Sharpeville Day.
On March 21 1960, the PAC, under the leadership of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, organised a peaceful march against the pass laws. The regime reacted violently and killed 68 innocent anti-apartheid marchers and injured 180 people. Most victims were in Sharpeville. In 1994, the ANC was democratically elected into power.
One of the things the governing party did was rename places (Pretoria to Tshwane, for instance) and public buildings. This was applauded and considered a step in the right direction. But the ANC renamed everything after its members, disregarding the names of other political parties such as the PAC. The ANC also renamed past historical days such as Dingaan's Day.
In its wisdom, it unashamedly renamed Sharpeville Day Human Rights Day. The ANC is distorting our historical days, including June 16, now Youth Day.
Here is the thing: the ANC was not involved in organising Sharpeville Day and June 16. Therefore, it doesn't want to shine the spotlight on those who were at the forefront organising these important events. Hence, it has renamed them. History will judge the ANC for desecrating our historical days. – Thabile Mange
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