The Sol Plaatje residence at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng recently unveiled its new name during an official ceremony hosted by the campus and students who serve on the residence councils.

Among the many guests who attended the ceremony were representatives of the Plaatje family from Kimberley and officials from the Sol Plaatje Trust.

Solomon Thekisho Plaatje was a South African intellectual, journalist, linguist, politician, translator and writer. He was a founder member and first general secretary of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), which became the African National Congress (ANC). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Plaatje

Plaatje was the first black South African to write a novel in English – Mhudi – which was published in 1930 with his second book titled Native Life in South Africa. Boer War Diary, his last literary offering, was published 40 years after his death.

The official unveiling of the Sol Plaatje residence follows a number of similar events that took place last year on campus. The NWU believes that the residences’ unveiling of their new patrons, as with Plaatje, will create a culture and vision for the residence, for generations to come.

Odirile Letebele, Sol Plaatje residence committee representative said, “it is always an honour for us, particularly as students to be afforded the space to honour fallen heroes that have contributed immensely to the freedom and democracy we all enjoy today.”

“As a family, we are extremely humbled and honoured by the NWU’s invitation to be part of an event to celebrate the life and contribution of Sol Plaatje. To us, this is not just an unveiling, but a continuous celebration of his legacy and for that we are truly honoured,” said one family representative.