TOPIC:

Frank,

A bit of information for what it's worth!!

Archie Gumede

Archibald Gumede (1914-1998) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, lawyer and politician. Gumede was born in Pietermaritzburg to James Gumede, an early African National Congress leader.Archie Gumede led the Natal delegates at the 1955 Congress of the People in Kliptown during which the Freedom Charter was written. He was later an attorney and practiced in Pietermaritzburg. He was a leader in the United Democratic Front, a broad-based coalition of groups seeking to end apartheid. Following the end of apartheid in 1994, Gumede became a member of the National Assembly of South Africa before dying in office in 1998.

King Edward Masinga What about the name??!!!

Broadcasting pioneer and tireless champion of local languages, history and traditions, King Edward (KE) Masinga was born in 1904 at Mzumbe on the KwaZulu- Natal South Coast. His father had run away from home to become a missionary and had settled in the area to teach and preach. When he was six, Masinga started looking after his father’s cattle and goats. He would start his herd boy duties at 5am and then go to school at 3pm. His father died when he was 11 and the family moved to Inanda, where he went to school at the Ohlange Institute, started by ANC founder, Rev John Dube.

His mother worked as a domestic worker to pay for his schooling. After leaving the Ohlange Institute he went to Adams College, where he studied for his matric and a teaching certificate. He worked as a teacher until 1941, rising to the position of headmaster. At 37 he opted for a complete change in career. While walking along Samora Machel (then Aliwal) Street, he passed a building and asked the guards its name. They told him it was the SABC, but that no black person worked there except as cleaners or “tea boys”. Undaunted, Masinga walked in and spoke to a director. That same night he made history when he read the 7pm news in isiZulu, for the first time.

He soon started making records of the songs he had sang while a herd boy and formed a choir. He made records of isiZulu children’s songs and translated the English news into isiZulu. He translated nine of Shakespeare’s plays, including Romeo and Juliet, into isiZulu, making these classics accessible to millions of South Africans. Just how widely respected Masinga was in his field became apparent in 1957, when the United States government invited him to America to study and to talk about Zulu music. When he was 67 he began to have problems with his sight and despite many operations nearly became blind. He married eight times and had five daughters. He retired when he was 65, but was re-employed by the SABC and eventually retired at 68. He died in 1990.

Right then Adrian,
I that case I think they are entitled to have places named after them, however, the government should perhaps have a little more respect for the countries whole history and not just the bits they happen to like.
Annoying to see the removal of a VC name for example.
Regards Frank

Frank Kelley wrote: Right then Adrian,
I that case I think they are entitled to have places named after them, however, the government should perhaps have a little more respect for the countries whole history and not just the bits they happen to like.
Annoying to see the removal of a VC name for example.
Regards Frank

No point in being in power if you can't fiddle with history.

When did Smuts ever open "Cetshwayo Drive" then?

I'm with Adrian on this one - who cares whether or not it's Archie, Gladys, Victoria or Bessy Bunter - it's just a name.

I for one, although not in favour of the politics of the moment, try to desist from slating the country of my birth - it's not good press and creates a bad impression with potential overseas visitors, investors, MEDAL BUYERS, etc.

Regards

Rory

Mate,

Have a road here changed from Jetty Road (because the jetty was at the end of the road) to some Gents name according to the Gumbent!! We still call it Jetty Road and each time the new Road sign goes up the sign seems to get blown over...............

Rory wrote: I'm with Adrian on this one - who cares whether or not it's Archie, Gladys, Victoria or Bessy Bunter - it's just a name.

I for one, although not in favour of the politics of the moment, try to desist from slating the country of my birth - it's not good press and creates a bad impression with potential overseas visitors, investors, MEDAL BUYERS, etc.

Regards

Rory

Couldn't agree more.

A council in England has removed apostrophes from it's road signs as it thinks people can't use them properly. That's a bigger crime.

.......anyway back to medals