History Matters

Some people are so indistinct, its difficult to imagine that they are there, even when alive.  Others have so much presence, that its impossible to imagine they have gone, even when dead.  Kader Asmal was irrepressible, wonderfully so, at times unrestrainedly provocative.  He engaged lustily with life.  Ever full of spirit, he fought the battle [...]

It is a cruel fact that in the last 15 years the Humanities and the Social Sciences have been severely affected by the dire need to respond to the obvious deficit in engineering, natural scientific, informational and managerial needs.  This downscaling of the importance of the human and social forms of scholarship has had a [...]

by Raymond Suttner With Ma Albertina Sisulu’spassing, many feel they havelost a political figure, but alsosomeone who meant much more thanthat, who sensitively but where necessary firmly, guided others on a path thatwould help them as human beings.Ma Sisulu was warm and generallysmiling while she hugged and kissed allher children. She combined this withstrict ethical norms [...]

WISER, University of the Witwatersrand Monday June 13 2011 Venue WISER Seminar Room* When Lewis Nkosi passed away on September 6, 2010 at the age of 73, South Africa lost an intellectual and literary voice as unique for its lucidity as its peerless range. Novelist, essayist, critic, playwright, editor, journalist, and scholar, Nkosi earned each [...]

http://historymatters.co.za/files/2011/04/GraduationCeremoniesMediaFinalCopy-7April2011.pdf

Dear Valued Stakeholder Statement by Acting President, Kgalema Motlanthe on the Health of Former President Nelson Mandela Cape Town – Acting President Kgalema Motlanthe on Thursday night released an official statement on the health of former president Nelson Mandela. “There has been mounting concern about the health of the former president Nelson Mandela. We wish [...]

WISER and CISA invite you to a public lecture on ‘The Life and Death of Dr. Abu Baker ‘Hurley’ Asvat, February 23, 1942-January 27, 1989’ By Jon Soske (Centre for Indian Studies in Africa, Wits) Wednesday, 19th May 2010 18h30 WISER Seminar Room, 6th Floor, Richard Ward Building East Campus, Wits University At the time [...]

PROGRAMME JOHANNESBURG Thursday 13 August Topic: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the politics of knowledge. Venue: Wits University, Graduate School Seminar Room, S.W. Engineering Bldg, East Campus Time: 1.15 pm Topic: What’s wrong with Zionism: A Jewish Perspective Venue: University of Johannesburg, Council Chambers, University, Administration Bldg. Auckland Park, Kingsway Campus. Time: 5.30 pm for 6 [...]

13 July 1984 – The last all-White Parliament ends its last session in Cape Town 14 July 1904 – President Paul Kruger (78), president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal) dies 15 July 1999 – Scientists uncover possible reason for SS Waratah’s disappearance 100 years later 16 July 1966 – Number of banned persons in South [...]