Getting to know your history

THE eShowe History Club has put together a tentative programme for the first six months of 2020.

On Friday, 13 March Gavin Wiseman will be talking about the Angolan Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.

Cuito Cuanavale is a small town in southern Angola, approximately 450km north of the Namibian/Angolan border.

It is situated near the confluence of the Cuito and Cuanavale rivers, hence its name.

The battle was fought between the old South

African Defence Force (SADF) with its ally, UNITA on one side, and the MPLA/Cuban/ Russian alliance on the other.

It has been described by one author as ‘The last hot battle of the Cold War.’

The various episodes of this battle took place over some three months in late 1987 and early 1988.

The talk will describe phases of the battle, but of greater interest will be the context in which it occurred.

Wiseman says he will try to trace its historical context, and answer the question, ‘What were South Africa, Cuba and

Russia doing in Angola?’

Contact Angela before 10am on Thursday, 12 March on 083 6812525, 035 4741787 or email adamsoutpost@netactive. co.za if you wish to order a meal. Contact Jenny Hawke on 035 4741509

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10 April - No meeting (Good Friday)

8 May - Prof Peter Titlestad - Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots and related politics 12 June - Anthony Brink - Title still to be confirmed

10 July - Ed Ostrosky - Establishing Tembe Elephant Park