31 May 1961 – Dit is altyd goed om terug te blaai in ons geskiedenis is, die seer en die bly, die trane en blydskap. Geboortes en sterftes te herdenk. Na 1994 sluit die ANC weer aan by die “Commonwealth”. FOUT – eie gewin.

DR VERWOERD

Luister na die pragtige toesprake wat hier gehou was op video. In sy eie stem, veral met republiekwording – weg van Britse heerskappy. Daar kon vandag 10-15 ontwikkelde lande in hierdie gebied van ons gewees het, sterk soos wat Botswana ontwikkel het.

Eienaardig, is soos Verwoerd toe al genoem het, hy wil dit uitspel wat “aparte gebiede” is, en dis presies wat na sy dood gebeur het hoe liberale en kommuniste sy woorde verdraai oor “apartheid”

Hy was ‘n briljante persoon, wat die armoede vraagstukke geken het – nie net van ons blankes nie, wat geweet het hoe om die land op te tel na die bloedige stryd en oorloë, depressie en selfs die ontwikkeling van tuislande om tot onafhanklike status te ontwikkel, was nie vir hom en sy mede ministers te veel nie. Opleiding was belangrik, al dink baie van die swartes dit was nie so nie. Doen maar die huiswerk, toe hy in 1955 skole van die unie ontvang het, was daar bykans niks, slegs sendingskole en plaasskole.

Hy het hand uitgesteek na alle leiers om hulself op te hef en nie afhanklik te wees van ander nie. Bophuthatswana was een van die tuislande wat tot ‘n eie geldeenheid gehad het en hul eie produkte uitgevoer het. Daar was ook maar terugslae, net soos enige ander land, maar baie vooruitgang. Tuislande het heelwat weermag en polisiedienste gehad, ‘n eie vlag en nasionale volkslied, hul het stemreg gehad en hul eie leiers gekies.

Watse tipe land het ons vandag, die teenoorgestelde “maatskaplike aalmoes” nasie, wat bakhand staan – bykans 20 miljoen sassa ontvangers, indien nie meer nie. Korrupsie, moord, verkragtings wat net nooit eindkry nie.

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Verwoerd was at least wise enough to ensure that the abolition of the South African monarchy would bring the least amount of constitutional change possible. The constitution remained almost entirely unchanged except that the Crown ceased to exist and the powers of the Governor-General were transferred to a new office of head of state called the Staatspresident, or State President. The Westminster system of government remained, with all its associated traditions. On May 31, 1961, His Excellency Charles Robberts Swart, last Governor-General of the Union of South Africa, was formally invested with the insignia of the office of State President of the Republic of South Africa in the Groote Kerk in Pretoria.

A Sad Day in Pretoria

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TO DO JUSTICE TO ALL – BLACK, WHITES, INDIANS AND COLOUREDS
INDUSTRIALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT – SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

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INDEPENDENCE FROM THE BRITISH EMPIRE – 1961

Die lewe en werk van Dr HF Verwoerd

Harold Macmillan in South Africa in Parliament – speech
DR VERWOERD’S SPEECH

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The Prime Minister spoke a few words himself after the State President have finished his speech.

Many of the changes accompanying the abolition of the monarchy were seemingly superficial but nonetheless important. The old regiments of South Africa removed royal references, so the Queen’s Own Cape Town Highlanders became simply the Cape Town Highlanders, while the ships of the South African Navy were redesignated from HMSAS to SAS. Queen’s Counsels became Senior Counsels (as in Ireland and elsewhere). The portraits of past monarchs were removed from the debating chambers and from the Koningsaalin the Houses of Parliament in Cape Town. Still, other royal designations and associations remained, such as the Royal Society of South Africa, the Royal Cape Yacht Club, and the Royal Natal National Park.

Native monarchies persist in South Africa. The King of the Zulus receives a generous subsidy from the South African government, while the Bafokeng tribe under King Leruo Molotlegi is the richest tribe in Africa since a court case gave them a 22% royalty on all platinum mined from their tribal lands. South Africa’s most famous royal is of course former president Nelson Rohlihlahla Mandela, a prince of the Xhosa blood royal, and many princes are known for their participation in politics and society (Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi being a prominent example). The British trappings of the South African monarchy prevented it from ever becoming the monarchy of the whole country, but the Nationalists were unwise in overthrowing the system rather than just changing the dynasty. If we began this reflection with a quotation from one of France’s greatest writers, it is more appropriate to end it with the words of the greatest South African who ever lived, Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts: “If a nation does not want a monarchy, change the nation’s mind. If a nation does not need a monarchy, change the nation’s needs.”

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South Africa Independence Day 31 May 1961. The End Of British Rule. Ons Vir Jou Suid Afrika.

South African History 101. Ons Kan Trots Wees……….

Dat Ons Toekoms Behoort Aan Ons!!!!!! “South Africa Celebrates; A New Nation” May 1961 Independence Day. The people of the Union Of South Africa laugh and weep and march, in celebration of the end of British rule. Independence has come at a great cost to the South African people. Leader and Prime Minister Dr Hendrik Verwoerd counts the cost but in May of 61 he is the man of the hour the great victor the colossus astride the behemoth of his nation.

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South Africa to leave Commonwealth

Here again – the so-called apartheid – the systems blacks are still living in, was created in 1840 onwards in reserves, then it became “homelands” after 1961 and today, Trustlands and CPA (landclaims). But they deny they have land, they are landless.