Independence in Bokaa

Heritage Independence Tug of war Bokaa
Heritage Independence Tug of war Bokaa

With the 50th anniversary getting ever closer, it came as no surprise that I should have been twice asked in the last week if I possess photos of the great day in 1966 These annual requests invariably come after the person seeking the photos has done the usual rounds of the three key government institutions, Information, Archives and Museum and come away disappointed.

I understood long ago that a great deal of material was lost when offices were moved from old to new. It may also be  that the National Museum has never held any Independence photos. That said, it really is high time that all three come clean and make life much easier for everyone by making publicly known what Independence photos they do hold. It might then become better understood that the cupboard is embarrassingly empty and that something needs to be done right now to put matters right.  One theory which is routinely trotted out every year is that the absence of photographs has to be understood in terms of the absence of photographers. 

The explanation may be comforting but it doesn’t need much thought to realise that it cannot possibly be true.  There would have been a number of official British photographers assigned to cover the event, there were certainly South African newspaper photographers, there were photographers such as Struan Robertson who were specially commissioned to cover the occasion and there must have been local residents, other than myself, who took their own shots which may yet to emerge from family albums.  Many of these now archival photos can be unearthed if the government feels that the effort to find them is worthwhile. Otherwise the situation is going to remain unchanged.  That said, my own offering this week is one of a few of the photos that were taken by Robertson in Bokaa on Independence Day. 

Editor's Comment
Congratulations Anicia Gaothuse!

The contest had 10 beautiful young girls as finalists and unfortunately only one could wear the crown.The judges picked Anicia Gaothuse. To all those who feel their contestant should have won ahead of Anicia for whatever reason, hardly; the judges found Anicia to be the best among the best, so desist from disrespecting our newly crowned queen on social media or anywhere else, for that matter! Each of the 10 beautiful young women had supporters...

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