News of the day

October 14, 1876 The Theatre The very attractive opéra bouffe will be

Nemesis repeated this evening for the last time, when those who have not yet witnessed it should make a point of doing so, as we can assure them they will not be disappointed. During his stay here Mr Howe has given quite a stimulus to the drama, and made the public of Cape Town acquainted with some of the most popular pieces of the day. As a versatile actor, who can at a moment’s notice adapt himself to any stage business, “from grave to gay, from lively to severe”, we have a rarely seen his equal. Although as an actor he is by no means faultless, we question whether, in the colonies especially, a ready aptitude for diversified theatrical representations is not more a desirable quality than the ability, however great, to run in one particular histrionic groove. October 9, 1880 The Times It is a most unfortunate thing that numbers of the British public who take their information, if not their opinions, from the Times, should be so continually misled. In a glowing account of the departure of Sir Bartle Frere, this correspondent telegraphs as follows: – “The view of the natives of Natal is that Sir Bartle Frere saved them and their country from ruin. They believe that Cetywayo determined to try conclusions with the White man, and they applaud His Excellency’s quickness in discerning and promptly averting danger. They speak of his action as the best proof that has yet been given of the wisdom of the English Government.” Was ever anything penned more wilfully misleading? English readers cannot be expected to know that “the natives of Natal” have no means of making their views known, and – as a matter of fact – have never expressed what is here attributed to them. If they have; when, where, and how, was it done? We do not know so much of the natives of Natal; but we know that a native of the Cape Colony is stigmatised in our Parliament as an idle vagabond if he dares so much as to write to the papers. October 14, 1899 The railway smash – graphic account The two trains which were in collision at Three Sisters early yesterday arrived here early this morning. The whole train left Johannesburg at four o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, with a considerable number of passengers, including all the members of the famous Empire Variety Company, which is to open at the Good Hope Hall on Monday night. Part of the train consisted of three truck loads of Russian pedlars, miners, and refugees of a poor class. At De Aar the train was divided into two parts. At Three Sisters, the first part was drawn up whilst the guard went across the line to receive instructions. At about a quarter-past two on Thursday morning, most of the passengers were asleep, and whilst the train was standing in the dead silence of the veld, which at all times of night is something that oppresses one’s spirits exceedingly, the second portion, which had left De Aar twenty minutes subsequent to the first part, dashed into the latter with the disastrous results. Passengers who were asleep, and were not instantly killed, were awakened by a violent shock. The screams and groans of men and women were heartrending. The saloons were smashed into sharp dry splinters, and some of the rescue party proceeded at once to build half-a-dozen big fires out of the broken timber, for there was no natural light, and the morning was bitterly cold. Mr Park, an American engineer on the Rand, was at the head of the rescue party, which did splendid work, and in a few minutes they were able to extricate two or three uninjured people, amongst them a baby two years old, and a little girl nine years old. The latter afterwards found that her mother and father had been instantly killed. October 16, 1912 Crippling the children – irrational school hours We published on Monday a striking symposium of British medical and educational opinion on the subject of school hours, the general effect of which was strongly to condemn the hours at present in vogue at many of the schools of the Cape Peninsula as irrational and injurious. On this, the “Lancet”, the great English medical organ, stated: “The stand taken by the ‘Cape Argus’ in its recent attack on the school methods in Cape Town seems reasonable. The ‘one session’ system strikes us as a monstrous absurdity. To start growing (children’s school day) at nine am, keeping them continuously at work, with only a five minutes’ interval, until 12.15pm, then, after a break of only 35 minutes – viz., to 12.50 – which is to serve them both for relaxation and food, to start them in again at school-work until two, and in the case of high schools until 3.15, is to keep the children in a state of stress and strain and inadequate nutrition that must eventually militate against their general fitness.” October 14, 1989 Ultra virus panic on Friday the 13th Computer virus helpline numbers here were jammed all day yesterday by terrified computer owners who believed Friday the 13th was the trigger date for monster computer viruses.

“It’s mass panic out there,” said Mr Ian Melamed of Business Systems Solutions.

In spite of computer users’ worst fears, not a single case of the highly toxic Data Crime 11 has been reported in South Africa. Another virus, the so-called Jerusalem virus, had been around for about two weeks and was not date-triggered, said Mr Melamed.

“We’ve had calls from people who’re terrified to switch on their computers. And people are doing the most stupid thing in the world to try to combat it – they’re copying each other’s anti-virus packages.” October 11, 1989 Release of the big 5: Now the process for peace begins President De Klerk deserves the applause from all sides over the decision yesterday to release the Rivonia Big 5, including Walter Sisulu, and three other prominent prisoners.

A prime reason they were held so long is that the government feared the consequences of their release. It is in at last conquering that fear that the greatest triumph of Mr De Klerk and his colleagues lies.

In the slightly longer term, of course, looms the huge presence of Nelson Mandela whose chances of release must now, surely, be brighter than before. Mr Mandela and those such as Mr Sisulu who were tried and convicted with him, have assumed almost legendary proportions during their time in prison. They, in the eyes of millions of South Africans, are the symbols of freedom.

Equally, in the eyes of many others, they are symbols of a threatening new age. In dealing with the passions from all sides which will now be let loose – and which will come to a climax when Mr Mandela is eventually set free – the authorities, including the police, are going to be sorely tested. Mr De Klerk will also know that the impending release of the Rivonia five and three others and the consequent hopes for Mr Mandela’s release – is not a process in itself. It is the start of a process which is going to have to lead to real negotiations over South Africa’s future.