PAST EVENTS

Following an invitation by fellow-member Col Joe Williams, Hon Col of the Highway Comdo, our July get-together took place at the Highway Comdo HQ. After 'wetting' our appetite for the meeting at the bar in the Mess, we were formally welcomed by the Colonel who tendered an apology from the OC, Cmdt William Pirrie and introduced the 2iC, Maj Dirk Coertze, who in turn opened the evening's programme by giving a brief, but lucid outline of the functions of the Unit, its area of operations, and the problems facing it in an urban situation where there was not only an existing squatter population, but also a continuous pressure by squatters from outlying areas trying to gain a foothold in the Highway region.

Quite fortuitously and without prior design Maj Coertze's exposition dovetailed very well with the story which our speaker for the evening, our own Chairman, 'SB' Bourquin, then set about to unfold. This was the story of Cato Manor and the Riots of 1959, which exploded about the middle of that year and developed into a period of severe unrest, lasting nearly eight months. Between 90 and 120 000 people were squatting under the most unhygienic conditions in an almost inaccessible area. The City Council was engaged not only in improving the conditions in the slum areas but also in providing thousands of permanent, conventional houses at KwaMashu and Umlazi in which the slum-dwellers could be rehoused.

This was the year in which the ANC formed its military wing, the Umkhonto wesizwe, and adopted a policy of subversion and violence. There were boycotts, sit-down and stay-away strikes, mass demonstrations and intimidation. In Cato Manor the bubble burst on 18 June 1959 when thousands of heavily armed women faced the authorities with impossible demands. Negotiation became impossible and the war of words ended in warlike actions, terror, arson, looting and mayhem. Municipal beerhalls were boycotted and illicit liquor production flourished. In January 1960 a large posse of Police on a liquor raid was attacked and nine policemen were stoned and beaten to death. Weeks later, when a mass meeting between shack dwellers and authorities failed to reach an understanding, 15 000 Blacks marched into the City to free all prisoners held at the central gaol. All Police roadblocks were by-passed by the demonstrators simply dispersing, moving through private gardens and houses and regrouping in the inner city streets. Eventually a state of emergency was proclaimed. The ANC, SACP, PAC and Poqo were banned and went underground. In massive raids the main trouble spots, the S.J. Smith men's hostel and Cato Manor Emergency Camp were surrounded and sealed off by Army and Navy personnel, while the SAP conducted room by room, and shack by shack searches for weapons and suspected activists. Hundreds of ringleaders were arrested and screened, leading to a collapse of agitation, intimidation and resistance. The resettlement of shack dwellers was resumed and a happy ending to the story came when the last shack was pushed over without so much as one policeman in sight.

This and all other facets of the story had been captured and was documented by a massive display of colour slides taken by the speaker, who at the time as Director of Bantu Administration in Durban, was personally involved.

Maj Darrell Hall moved an appropriate vote of thanks both to our hosts and to the speaker for a talk which had in fact become topical by the recently reported fresh invasion of Cato Manor by squatters from surrounding areas.

"TOM AND ETHEL The story of a Soldier Settlement" by Pam Arnold, illustrated by Harold Peel. Through personal and humorous anecdotes a short and forgotten era in South African agricultural history is recalled. The booklet is based on serious and extensive research into Land Settlement in the 1920's, with special ref to WWI ex-soldier settlers, and makes light, often nostalgic and certainly informative reading. Copies are obtainable from the author Mrs Pam Arnold, 51 Golden Pond, N Somerset Place, Hilton 3245 or from Talana Museum at R10 + 95c postage and packing. All profits go to the museum.

FUTURE EVENTS

1881 Anglo-Boer War Battlefields tour to Laing's Nek, Majuba and Ingogo. Nov 1 - 3 Commentary by Steve Watt who will also take you to Fort Amiel, O'Niel's cottage, Mount Prospect and Rooigrond. Accommodation at Valley Inn, Ingogo. R349. For further info contact Mrs Pam Brink of Wild Adventure Expeditions, Box 94 Sarnia 3615 Tel (031) 82pmpm.

Continuing Education Programme, Edgewood College of Education Anglo-Boer War Course and Excursion. Course Co-ordinator Mike Cottrell, Phone (H) 866nnn or (n) 7001455. Duration 5 weeks on Wednesday evenings 19H30 24 July - 21 Aug. R10 per session.
Excursion 9 to 11 Aug R40.00 + accom at Spionkop chalets @ R20 per night. Includes Ladysmith, Talana and Spionkop.
Wed 7/8/91 : David Edley on Initial setbacks - The tragedy of Spionkop.
Wed 14/8/91 : David Edley on The Siege of Ladysmith.
Wed 21/8/91 : Gillian Berning on The Anglo-Boer War collection at the Durban Local History Museum.
Venue: L2 Theatre, Edgewood College.

"Brigade Parade in Revue" 21 September l991. An invitation has been received to attend this historic closing down parade. Please keep this date diarised. Further details to follow. Ken will arrange the seating for members at this intricate parade by 84 Motorised Brigade.

N.B. COLENSO LADYSMITH SPIONKOP BATTLEFIELD TOUR: 31 AUGUST/ 1 SEPTEMBER.
Accom at the Royal Hotel, Ladysmith (Sp rate excl GST) Sharing DB R50 p.p. (Single R5 extra).
Accom at 5 SAI Trg Rgt. One Room for 4 persons @ R23 BB p.p., Bungalow (10 to 20 beds) @ R8 p.p. DB. (Please take your own towel and soap.) A special dinner rate at the Royal Hotel @ R14.50 + GST has been arranged All bookings to be made through KEN GILLINGS (or in his absence, his secretary, JEAN) Tel. (031)305 nmnm (office) as soon as possible. Please contact Ken if you wish to attend on the Saturday or the Sunday and all participants to take his/her own picnic lunches and refreshments. The RENDEZVOUS ON SATURDAY is at Clouston's Koppie of Remembrance at 9A.M. (Estimated travelling time from Durban 2½ hrs). Clouston's is on the Estcourt side of Colenso to the left of the main road. The commentary on the Battles of Colenso and Tugela Heights will be by Darrell, SB and Ken. Rendezvous on Sunday at 9 a.m. at Entrance Gate to Wagon Hill. Sunday Programme Battles of Wagon Hill and Spionkop. PROGRAMME OF MONTHLY MEETINGS:

AUGUST 8TH THE RHODESIAN AFRICAN RIFLES Talk by CMDT MICK McKENNA.

September 12 "The Taming of the Landmine" Talk by Mr Graham Nicholls.

October 17 "Opera tion Modular" Talk by Cmdt Danie Laäs.

November 12 "The Gulf War" IIIustrated slide talk by Maj DD Hall.

December In recess.

January 9 Lt Col J.C.W. Aust will talk on The Rhodesian Light Infantry.

VENUE for all meetings is the Westville North Library, 167 Blair Athol1 Rd, Westville at 19h45.
FRIENDS AND INTERESTED PERSONS WELCOME TO ATTEND.

(Mrs) Tania van der Watt
Secretary: Durban Branch
S.A. Military History Society
Box 870 Hillcrest 3650
Tel. 74mmmm