The Northern Cape Sport, Arts and Culture department and the Sol Plaatje University commemorated the late PAC founder Robert Sobukwe‘s death by laying wreaths at his former house and office in Kimberley.
Sobukwe died at the Kimberley Hospital 40 years ago.
Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe was banished to Kimberley in 1969, by the apartheid government. He opened law offices at this building which has now been vandalized.His house is occupied by a family that moved in shortly after his death.
“I’m honoured we didn’t make any changes because that spirit still lives here,”said owner of the house, Angela Manong-Madibane.
Calls have been made to preserve Sobukwe’s legacy.
“Education was his passion and I think he would be so happy to see one or two people going through school he has encouraged this whole township you’ll just find Sobukwe, Mangaliso even my son is even calling himself Robert Sobukwe the original,” said Sobukwe’s friend, Schoolboy Mokgoro.
The department says plans are underway to see how best to honour Sobukwe.
“We agree we do concede that a lot needs to be done, but Robert Sobukwe they got a trust which is Robert Sobukwe trust that we are also in negotiations with how can we do that because we don’t just want to renovate this and not be able to assist the community but of course we will be working with the trust to see how we can assist young people particularly that want to be lawyers in the future,”said Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, MEC of Sports, Arts And Culture in Northern Cape.
The department is also looking into naming the Kimberley Hospital after him.
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