Tuesday, 29 October 1929
Tuesday, 29th October 1929, saw the world’s economy go into recession as the New York Stock Exchange collapsed. Shocked investors withdrew their investments, with many losing all their money and scores committing suicide. This was the start of the world-wide depression of the 1930s, which at its worst saw one in three people unemployed in the United States.
In South Africa, the Great Depression had socio-economic as well as political implications. The lives of millions were affected and resulted in the loss of land, urbanisation and an increase in poverty as people battled to find employment. The diamond and agricultural sectors were the hardest hit. During this period, diamond exports fell in value from £16,5 million in 1928 to £1,4 million in 1934. In the agricultural sector, the price of wool fell from 16,6 pence in 1928 to 4,4 pence per pound weight in 1931–32. In 1933, a devastating drought together with a lower demand for goods on the international market saw an increase in urbanisation as farmers could no longer make a living on their farms. Farm workers also had to seek work in the cities.
The political implications of the Great Depression resulted in the Hertzog government undertaking a political reorientation, in order to avoid a repetition of the fall of the Smuts government in 1924. This fall was partly attributed to the depression that followed the end of World War I.
Sunday, 29 October 1944
After the promotion of Afrikaans by the Afrikaans Language Association and other societies, such as Our Language in Bloemfontein, the language was finally recognised in 1925. The South African Academy for Language, Letters and Art, which was set up in 1909 to reconcile the champions of Dutch and Afrikaans, named a number of language advisers to assist with the translation of the Bible into Afrikaans. This task was completed in 1933. It was followed by the translation of the rhymed psalms and hymns in 1937 and 1944 respectively. These developments established Afrikaans as a church language.
Thursday, 29 October 1964
On 29 October 1964, the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania. Tanganyika gained its independence from a United Kingdom-ruled United Nations trusteeship on 9 December 1961, while Zanzibar gained its independence on 19 December 1963. Geographically, the country is located in the eastern part of Africa.
Julius Karambage Nyerere, who was known to his countrymen as Mwalimi (the Teacher), became the first President of the United Republic of Tanzania, with Sheikh Abeid Karume as Vice President. Their national anthem “Mungu ibariki Afrika” (God Bless Africa) has the same lyrics as the South African national anthem “Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrica” (God Bless Africa) which was composed by South Africa’s Enoch Sontonga.
In 1992, Tanzania (as it is currently known) adopted a multiparty democratic system, which called for major constitutional amendments.
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