In a fitting tribute to the university’s eponymous inspiration, Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje, Sol Plaatje University (SPU) has chosen to launch ‘Revisiting Sol Plaatje’s Mafeking Diary’ during the month that marks his 147th birth anniversary. Born on 9 October 1876, Plaatje was not just an iconic writer and linguist but also a foundational figure whose intellectual contributions greatly resonate with the raison d’être of SPU.
The thought-provoking and fascinating book was launched on Friday, 20 October 2023, at the Library Auditorium on SPU’s Central Campus. It provides a novel lens through which to view the iconic Siege of Mafeking from 1899 to 1900. The diary was the work of a 23-year-old ambitious black South African who had relocated from Kimberley in the Northern Cape to seize a new opportunity in Mafeking, North West, as a court interpreter.
‘Revisiting Sol Plaatje’s Mafeking Diary’ was edited by SPU’s Creative Writing lecturer Mr Sabata-mpho Mokae, and Extraordinary Professor Prof Brian Willan, and the book injects new vitality into a manuscript originally published in 1973 by Prof John Comaroff. This fresh edition gives new insight and delves deeper into the realities of the siege.
Dr Cobus Rademeyer, offering his welcoming remarks, emphasised the enduring appeal of the Mafeking Diary. “The facts and events behind the Mafeking Diary of Sol T. Plaatje (1973) never cease to amaze. We are here now, 50 years after the diary’s initial publication, and the editors shed new light on the publication, the circumstances surrounding its creation. This gives readers new insight into the life and writings of Sol Plaatje. We are honoured to have the two editors of the book with us today.”
Prof Jesmael Mataga, Associate Professor: Museum and Heritage Studies, recounted his personal journey at SPU as he led the panel discussions. “I always tell the story of how I joined this institution at the end of 2014. The inaugural Vice-Chancellor and Principal of SPU Prof Yunus Ballim said to me after my interview that if I look across the road where they are digging, that is where the university will be. There was no building; I was doubtful at first about taking on a job here, but I was crazy and brave enough to. It was a life-changing moment. Prof Willan and Mr Mokae represent the culmination of the dream that is Sol Plaatje University. A university named after a luminary writer and linguist. It is a privilege to build and contribute to what is an amazing project.”
Prof Willan spoke candidly of his admiration for Plaatje’s oeuvre. “Plaatje could play with language using metaphors and alliteration. The main message I would give is that the diary is fantastic. We give imaginative descriptions of the events of the siege and what was happening. Plaatje supplied graphic accounts of how black Africans were affected by the siege, a personal recollection of events.”
Mr Mokae added: “In the first entry of the book, you can see how he played with language. The book is not just a record of events, it is also a piece of creative writing, which befits the young and ambitious Plaatje at the time. The siege of Mafeking was more than a white man’s war or confrontation. What was important was the voice of the voiceless, and Plaatje did just that through his imaginative accounts of the events in Mafeking.”
Launching this pivotal book at SPU underscores the university’s commitment to embodying the intellectual and cultural legacy of Sol Plaatje. Get your copy at Bargain Books in the Diamond Pavillion Mall, Kimberley.
