News of the day

August 6, 1863 America’s war The intelligence from America continues to be, on the whole, favourable to the Confederates. Vicksburg and Port Hudson, the main defences of the Mississippi, the great waterway to the West, remained untaken, having successfully resisted the most determined assaults of the Northern armies under Generals Grant and Banks. In the course of a week, General Grant, in a series of assaults on Vicksburg, lost 10 000 men out of a force of 50 000, and then sat down to besiege the stronghold. General Lee had executed another of those rapid and masterly movements for which, in common with the lamented Jackson, he has earned so great a reputation during the campaigns in Virginia. August 4, 1870 Diamond fever Every post from the banks of the Vaal River brings intelligence of the discovery of numerous gems, several of them being of great value. It is now established success has attended the diggers and that a new and very important industry has been established in South Africa. With its usual caution, or slowness, as some choose to call it, the western part of the colony did not take to the “diamond fever” for some time, but now not merely from Cape Town, but from the surrounding villages, parties are leaving daily, some of whom are being sent by merchants and other leading inhabitants August 5, 1876 Ancient football In announcing that a football match – Town vs Country – will be played this afternoon at Rondebosch, we may take the opportunity of penning a few remarks on so ancient and vigorous a pastime we are glad to see growing in popularity at the Cape. The game can claim a most respectable antiquity – certainly so far back as the time of Edward III in 1349, when the game was prohibited by public edict for it was thought to impede the progress of archery. August 7, 1877 Heads of news The Griqualand West Annexation Bill has passed all its stages; a Bill authorising the Cape government to borrow £175 000 to pay the debts of that territory includes £90 000 promised by Lord Carnarvon to the Free State as compensation. Capt. Grundy, RN, who led an expedition in search of Livingstone up the Congo River and who subsequently came to South Africa to travel, has died from fever in the interior. Mr Anthony Trollope has left Cape Town for a tour through South Africa. Parliament has carried a vote for a salary for a philologist to continue Dr Bleek’s researches, and for other purposes in connection with the native languages of South Africa. enthusiastic inhabitants and wept for joy at the success of his feat. August 4, 1909 Waratah’s whereabouts – crack Blue Anchor liner still missing The Lund Blue Anchor Liner Waratah is still missing, and there is no news of her by sea or land. Her unaccountable disappearance while on a course which is passed and repassed daily by vessels of every description has caused great anxiety throughout the country, and real fears are beginning to be entertained for her safety… That the vessel carries so many hundreds of human beings has added to the seriousness of her position, and extreme anxiety prevails. August 7, 1946 Food supplies for Britain Sir, granted there are thousands in this country suffering from a shortage of food, but your correspondent, “First Things First”, has not thought for one moment how much we owe to Great Britain and her allies, the army, navy and air force, and above all the merchant navy, who have gone out to sacrifice everything to safeguard South Africa and other countries from the enemy and keep us in safety. I certainly believe that the majority of people in this country are agreeable to sending surplus food, but why not send at once? An English Nurse, Oranjezicht. August 5, 1986 The sanctions list Senior Commonwealth leaders are mounting a tough sanctions campaign against South Africa and hope the world will follow their example. Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, India and the Bahamas want more extensive sanctions than those in the Nassau Accord, including banning air links, new bank loans, imports of uranium, coal, iron and steel, and agricultural products, a withdrawal of consular facilities and end to taxation agreements and government contracts with majority-owned South African companies. August 5, 1996 Vigilante war Full-scale war has broken out between gangsters and a militant Muslim lynch mob out to rid the city of drug dealers. This follows last night’s killing of Hard Livings gang boss Rashaad Staggie. Police and medical personnel told how they stood by helplessly as Staggie was burnt alive by a mob which pumped bullets into him before he died in the gutter outside an alleged gang member’s house in Salt River. The killing followed a gun battle between occupants of the besieged house and vigilantes from the group known as People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad), who had led a convoy to the house. About 20 people, including Pagad leaders and two journalists, were wounded in the battle as police stood by, afraid to intervene for fear of aggravating the situation. August 5, 1996 TRC to focus on Cape Flats unrest The controversial death of one of the Cape’s bestknown Umkhonto we Sizwe soldiers, Ashley Kriel, will be recalled at a hearing of the Truth Commission’s human rights violations committee today. Mr Kriel, 20, of Bonteheuwel, was shot dead in a “skirmish” with two security policemen, disguised as city council sanitation workers, in a Hazendal, Athlone house on July 9, 1987. They were the only witnesses to his death. They claimed when they had attempted to arrest him, there had been a “struggle” and Mr Kriel had been shot by one of the security policemen – Jeff Benzien – with (Mr Kriel’s) own weapon, an inquest court heard later. Mr Benzien admitted to the inquest that he had kept a poster of Mr Kriel in his office with the words “One down… one to go” written on it.