{"id":103935,"date":"2026-09-30T05:11:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T03:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/?page_id=103935"},"modified":"2026-09-30T08:58:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T06:58:06","slug":"sol-plaatje-memorial-week-home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/sol-plaatje-memorial-week-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Sol Plaatje Memorial Week Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"103935\" class=\"elementor elementor-103935\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fd683e8 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-content-top elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fd683e8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7db764c\" data-id=\"7db764c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cdf584 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3cdf584\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SPU_Memorial_Week_Web_Banner_1920x600.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-103934\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SPU_Memorial_Week_Web_Banner_1920x600.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SPU_Memorial_Week_Web_Banner_1920x600-300x94.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SPU_Memorial_Week_Web_Banner_1920x600-1024x320.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SPU_Memorial_Week_Web_Banner_1920x600-768x240.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SPU_Memorial_Week_Web_Banner_1920x600-1536x480.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SPU_Memorial_Week_Web_Banner_1920x600-360x113.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c3eaa34 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c3eaa34\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-012abc0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"012abc0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sol Plaatje Memorial Week 2026<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-653f41d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"653f41d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Sol Plaatje University (SPU) commemorates 150 years since the birth of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje through Sol Plaatje Memorial Week, taking place from 5 to 10 October 2026. This secure form enables guests, partners and supporters to make payments for the commemoration activities or contribute to SPU\u2019s Endowment Fund.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8fe08ad e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8fe08ad\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ed6071 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1ed6071\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Events<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-464e134 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"464e134\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spu-events\">\n\n<p>Discover upcoming lectures, exhibitions, conferences, cultural celebrations and public events taking place at Sol Plaatje University.<\/p>\n\n<h4>Solomon Plaatje Heritage Lecture<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"event-meta\">15 October 2026 | 18:00 | SPU Main Campus<\/p>\n\n<p>Join us for an engaging public lecture exploring the life, work and enduring legacy of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje. The evening will bring together academics, researchers, students and members of the public for discussion and reflection.<\/p>\n\n<p><a href=\"#\">Read More \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n\n<h4>Plaatje Heritage Exhibition<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"event-meta\">22 October \u2013 20 November 2026 | SPU Library<\/p>\n\n<p>Explore a curated exhibition celebrating Plaatje\u2019s contribution to literature, journalism, education and South African history. The exhibition features archival material, photographs, publications and other historical resources.<\/p>\n\n<p><a href=\"#\">View Event \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed25c7e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ed25c7e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6026b91 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6026b91\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Photos<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-034a76d elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"034a76d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><style type=\"text\/css\">\n#foogallery-gallery-103955.fg-masonry { --fg-gutter: 10px; }<\/style>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"foogallery foogallery-container foogallery-masonry foogallery-lightbox-none fg-center fg-masonry fg-ready fg-light fg-border-medium fg-round-small fg-shadow-outline fg-loading-default fg-loaded-fade-in fg-hover-semi-zoomed fg-captions-bottom fg-hover-fade fg-hover-zoom4 fg-no-js fg-col3\" id=\"foogallery-gallery-103955\" data-foogallery=\"{&quot;item&quot;:{&quot;showCaptionTitle&quot;:true,&quot;showCaptionDescription&quot;:true},&quot;lazy&quot;:true,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;src&quot;,&quot;srcset&quot;:&quot;srcset&quot;,&quot;paging&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;dots&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:12,&quot;position&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;scrollToTop&quot;:false,&quot;output&quot;:&quot;&quot;}}\" style=\"--fg-title-line-clamp: 1; --fg-description-line-clamp: 2;\" >\n\t<div class=\"fg-column-width\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"fg-gutter-width\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8717.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"102158\" data-e-disable-page-transition=\"true\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2026\/08\/IMG_8717\/114933100.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"188\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8423.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"102163\" data-e-disable-page-transition=\"true\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2026\/08\/IMG_8423\/3261069846.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"147\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8426.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"102164\" data-e-disable-page-transition=\"true\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2026\/08\/IMG_8426\/1163783944.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"168\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8432.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"102165\" data-e-disable-page-transition=\"true\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2026\/08\/IMG_8432\/1941413881.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"281\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8438.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"102167\" data-e-disable-page-transition=\"true\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2026\/08\/IMG_8438\/1924157920.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"255\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_8714.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"102216\" data-e-disable-page-transition=\"true\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2026\/08\/IMG_8714\/2418276522.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"188\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36e701a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"36e701a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5bdeb9d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5bdeb9d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Articles<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5dbb65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d5dbb65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Explore stories, insights and perspectives covering the latest developments, research, events and initiatives at Sol Plaatje University.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1fc1634 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1fc1634\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-655d669 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"655d669\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Donation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-671d0c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"671d0c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Help preserve and promote the legacy of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje by supporting initiatives that celebrate his contribution to education, literature, culture and South African history.<\/p><p>Your contribution can help support the continued development of programmes, activities and resources that honour Plaatje\u2019s enduring legacy.<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/sol-plaatje-memorial-week-2026\/\">Learn More &amp; Donate<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f742605 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f742605\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d0d717 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8d0d717\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Biography<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-beec1bc e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"beec1bc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31a1dc2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"31a1dc2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-186310a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"186310a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"755\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SolPlaatje2026.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-103982\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SolPlaatje2026.png 720w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SolPlaatje2026-286x300.png 286w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SolPlaatje2026-257x270.png 257w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8a9bfa e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e8a9bfa\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f6178d3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"f6178d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n<div class=\"plaatje-biography\">\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-intro\">\r\n        <p class=\"lead\">\r\n            Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje, a teacher, court interpreter, newspaper editor and journalist,\r\n            linguist, writer and novelist, was one of the most gifted and versatile Black South Africans\r\n            of his generation.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            He devoted his many talents to one overriding cause: the struggle of African people\r\n            against injustice and dispossession.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>Early Life &amp; Education<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            He was born on 9 October 1876, in Podisetlhogo (Doornfontein) in the Boshof district\r\n            in the Free State, to Martha Lokgosi and Johannes Kushumane Plaatje.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            He was taught at the Berlin (Lutheran) Mission School in Pniel near Kimberley where\r\n            he remained for several years as an assistant teacher while studying further.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            In 1894, he departed for Kimberley where he sat for, and distinguished himself,\r\n            in the Civil Service examinations in advanced typing and High Dutch.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>Literary &amp; Journalistic Beginnings<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Plaatje joined the South African Improvement Society in 1895 which was initially founded\r\n            to help Africans master the English language but became a foundation for intellectual and\r\n            political activism and it was there that Plaatje\u2019s literary interest was ignited.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            In 1898 he married Elizabeth Lilith M\u2019Belle, a sister to his friend Isaiah Bud M\u2019Belle\r\n            and took up a temporary position as a court interpreter in Kimberley.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Since advancement in the Civil Service was closed to him, and with a natural affinity\r\n            for words, Plaatje turned to journalism.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            He established the first Setswana-English weekly, <em>Koranta ea Becoana<\/em>, which he\r\n            edited for seven years in Mafikeng until it went out of business.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>The Siege of Mafikeng<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Shortly after Plaatje\u2019s arrival in Mafikeng in 1898, the South African War broke out\r\n            and Mafikeng was under siege. Plaatje began writing a diary of the daily events during\r\n            the Mafikeng Siege.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            During the Siege of Mafikeng Plaatje made inroads into the field of journalism by\r\n            taking on typing for Vere Stent, a Reuters war correspondent.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Plaatje also did interpreting for international war correspondents who did not have\r\n            a grasp of the local languages. He published his first articles in the <em>Mafeking Mail<\/em>.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>Return to Kimberley &amp; Journalism<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            In 1910 Plaatje moved back to Kimberley where a wealthy group of Barolong men from\r\n            Thaba Nchu, including Kgosi Nyokong and Reverend Goronyane, funded the establishment\r\n            of a new paper, <em>Tsala ea Bechuana<\/em> (Batswana\u2019s Friend). Plaatje was appointed\r\n            as the editor.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>Political Leadership &amp; Advocacy<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            The South African Native National Congress (SANNC), the forerunner to the African\r\n            National Congress (ANC), was formed in 1912 and Plaatje was chosen as its first\r\n            Secretary General.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            An articulate opponent of tribalism, he exemplified the new spirit of national unity\r\n            among a small group of mission-educated African intellectuals.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            SANNC\u2019s first major campaign was against the Land Act of 1913, which drastically\r\n            curtailed the right of Africans to own or occupy land throughout the Union of South Africa.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            In 1914, he was a member of the deputation to England responsible for appealing to\r\n            the British Government to repeal the Act.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            In 1918, at the end of First World War Plaatje was part of a second delegation of\r\n            the SANNC to England where he remained until 1920. Just before departing for England,\r\n            Plaatje established The Diamond Fields Men\u2019s Brotherhood Movement in Kimberley.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>Canada, America &amp; Literary Work<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Plaatje left England in 1920 for Canada after being refused a visa to the United States\r\n            by the American Embassy, at the request of the South African government.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            He addressed various gatherings in Canada under the auspices of the Canadian Brotherhood\r\n            Movement. Plaatje also completed <em>Mhudi<\/em>, and the Setswana translations of Shakespeare\u2019s\r\n            <em>The Comedy of Errors<\/em> and <em>The Merchant of Venice<\/em>.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            When Plaatje eventually arrived in America he met with prominent Black leaders such as\r\n            Marcus Garvey, President of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, and W.E.B. Du Bois,\r\n            the leader of the National Association for the Advancement of the Coloured People.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            He also met with J. E. Bruce, editor of <em>Negro World<\/em>, who had been to Mafikeng\r\n            where he had written for <em>Koranta ea Bechuana<\/em>.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Plaatje returned to England in 1922. En route he translated Shakespeare\u2019s\r\n            <em>Othello<\/em> into Setswana.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>Return to South Africa<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Upon his return to South Africa in 1923 he found himself on the political peripheries,\r\n            and his family in dire financial straits.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            Plaatje tried unsuccessfully to revive his political career. He toured the South African\r\n            rural areas with his films that he obtained in England which were known as\r\n            <em>Plaatje\u2019s Bioscope<\/em>.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            A well-known teetotaler, Plaatje joined the Independent Order of True Templers.\r\n            He was also voted the vice-president of the Cape Native Voters\u2019 Association.\r\n            In 1929 Plaatje was nominated to serve on the Central Orthography Committee.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"bio-section\">\r\n        <h3>Final Years &amp; Legacy<\/h3>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            In acknowledgement of his accomplishments and as a belated fiftieth birthday present,\r\n            a house at 32 Angel Street was donated to him by the people of Kimberley.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            A few months before celebrating his fifty-sixth birthday in 1932, Plaatje died of\r\n            pneumonia in Pimville near Johannesburg, while on a working visit.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n        <p>\r\n            His funeral was held three days later in Kimberley where he is buried at the\r\n            West End Cemetery.\r\n        <\/p>\r\n\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n```\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sol Plaatje Memorial Week 2026 Sol Plaatje University (SPU) commemorates 150 years since the birth of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje through Sol Plaatje Memorial Week, taking place from 5 to 10 October 2026. This secure form enables guests, partners and supporters <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/sol-plaatje-memorial-week-home\/\" class=\"read-more\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"folder":[],"coauthors":[192],"class_list":["post-103935","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103935"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103935\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104022,"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103935\/revisions\/104022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/folder?post=103935"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=103935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}