Opsomming
Bloemfontein se munisipale trembedryf wat vanaf 1915 tot 1937 bestaan het, was die eerste openbare vervoerstelsel van die stad. Wat dié bedryf merkwaardig maak, was die baanbrekerswerk wat Bloemfontein op die terrein verrig het deur die eerste hoofstad in Suid-Afrika te word wat ’n elektriese spoorlose tremstelsel tot stand gebring het.
With the recent passing of Miss Matlhaodi Rahab Kgomo, an important era in the history of Bloemfontein came to an end. In addition to being one of the last of her generation to have witnessed the visit of the British Royals to Bloemfontein in 1947, which in her case was sealed with a gift of a cup and saucer, Rahab Kgomo was one of the pioneers who contributed to the establishment and further development of a distinct tennis tradition within the black communities of the Free State in general and Greater Bloemfontein/Mangaung in particular. Another tennis legend from Kgomo’s era was the late Gobuiwang Junia [‘Zero’] Tlhobelo who passed away 10 years ago.
In 2018 Batho, Bloemfontein’s oldest existing historically-black township or so-called ‘location’, celebrates its centenary. Compared to other South African townships of similar size and age, Batho is no ordinary township because of its rich and colourful history. During the past 100 years much had happened there, most notably on a socio-political level. For example, consider the fact that the well-known founder-member and first speaker of the South African Native National Congress (later ANC), Thomas Mapikela, lived in Batho until his death in 1945.
Rachel Thoka was born around 1825, apparently in a West African country. As a young girl she was sold in the slave market in Cape Town to a white farmer, Sarel Griesel, whose wife wanted a young slave. In typical Afrikaner tradition of the time, the Griesels gave her a new name taken from the Bible, namely Rachel, and she learned to speak Dutch.
Although slavery was abolished in the Cape Colony on 1 December 1834, Rachel remained in the service of the Griesels and during the Great Trek (c. 1834–1838) travelled with them into the Transgariep (today Free State) and Natal.
https://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/walter-sisulu-timeline-1912-2003
Audrey Hepburn once said that the best thing to hold onto in life is each other. In this month of love, we look at the inspiring love story of two struggle heroes, Walter and Albertina Sisulu. Their love survived the dark days of apartheid, when Walter Sisulu was imprisoned eight times, banned, placed under house arrest, tried twice for treason, and, in 1964, jailed for life.