British PM promises new investments
WW1 demise of 616 men relived
If artefacts could speak, the SS Mendi Bell would tell us exactly what happened on that fateful day over 100 years ago when 616 black South African men perished at sea.
On February 21 1917, the SS Mendi collided with a cargo ship in the English Channel and sunk. The passengers were from Cape Town to England, and were on their way to France to fight in World War 1 on the side of the British.
But for author Fred Khumalo, the return of the bell from UK to SA on Monday marked a vital milestone in preserving the memory of the deceased.
On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Theresa May handed over the bell to President Cyril Ramaphosa during a ceremony in Cape Town.
The story of the Mendi reflects the unrelenting bravery of hundreds of black men who left their home country and families to go and fight in a war that was in fact not even theirs to fight. The ship was carrying more than 800 men.
Reflecting on the bell’s return, Khumalo, whose novel Dancing the Death Drill is based on the tragedy, said the handover was significant. “At a very symbolic point, this will bring closure to a very sad chapter of our history.”
He said this was also an opportunity for South Africans to learn about the important history behind the shipwreck.
Khumalo said despite this being one of the worst naval disasters in SA history, most people were not aware of it because it was poorly documented. “At a practical level the return of the bell is an excuse for us to speak about the history.”
Khumalo said as a young boy, tales about the SS Mendi were circulated through word of mouth but that most people thought it was a legend.
He said seeing their graves in France while visiting the country some years back helped him realise that SS Mendi was not fiction.
He said the story of Mendi was also significant in conveying the hidden history of more than 24 000 black men who participated in the WW1.
Khumalo’s book is not the only way in which this part of SA history is remembered. The nation’s highest presidential order of courage also bears the name Mendi. Lara Foot’s play Ukutshona ko Mendi ... Did We Dance? was also released in 2012.
The bell had been lying beneath the sea for decades after the Mendi sank and was discovered by divers recently. Khumalo said the relic was later delivered to the BBC and research confirmed that it was indeed the SS Mendi bell.