January 22 holds a special place in South Africa’s history, marking significant events that have shaped the nation’s trajectory.
These historical events happened on 21 January
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From the Great Trek Manifesto to the Million Signatures Campaign, this day encapsulates pivotal moments in South African history.
. Piet Retief’s Great Trek Manifesto (1837) On 22 January 1837, Piet Retief, a leader among the Voortrekkers, completed a manifesto detailing why they were leaving the Cape Colony.
This document, published in the Graham’s Town Journal, highlighted the conflict with Xhosa inhabitants and frustrations with British colonial authorities.
Key issues included land conflicts, a lack of labour due to the abolition of slavery, and the desire for independence from British control. This manifesto laid the groundwork for the Great Trek, a mass movement of Afrikaners seeking autonomy and new lands.
2. Admission of Gerhardus Peens in the Boipatong Massacre (1999)
On 22 January 1999, former Vaal policeman Gerhardus “Pedro” Peens admitted his presence during the 1992 Boipatong Massacre, where about 46 people were killed.
This event was initially blamed on the Inkatha Freedom Party, with allegations of police involvement. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, however, found no evidence of such involvement.
Peens’s admission contradicted previous police denials of their presence during the massacre.
3. Birth of Josephine Wood (1874)
Josephine Ethel Wood, the founder of the South African Library for the Blind, was born on 22 January 1874, in Grahamstown. She started a small library in her home in 1919, which eventually became the official South African Library for the Blind in 1946.
Wood’s commitment to the blind community led to significant advances in accessibility and literacy for visually impaired South Africans.
4. UDF’s Million Signatures Campaign (1984)
The United Democratic Front (UDF) launched the Million Signatures Campaign on 22 January 1984, as a protest against apartheid and the government’s constitutional reforms.
Despite aiming to gather one million signatures, the campaign collected just under 400 000 by October due to police harassment, internal conflicts, and inexperienced leadership.
This campaign reflected the growing opposition to apartheid and the UDF’s role in the anti-apartheid movement.
5. UNESCO Peace Prize Awarded to South Africans (1992)
On 22 January 1992, two South Africans were honoured with the UNESCO Peace Prize. While the specific details of this event are not widely documented, it signifies South Africa’s contributions to peace and humanitarian efforts on a global scale.