A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HERPETOLOGY COLLECTION AT DITSONG: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
By Lauretta Mahlangu, Junior Curator, Small Mammals: DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History According to the catalogue records at the Transvaal Museum (now DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History), the first specimens were deposited in the herpetology collection in 1888. The
“TERRIBLE APe” From HOOGLAND
By Lazarus Kgasi, Junior Curator: DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History Understanding the environments and mammal species that existed in South Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene, including primate and human lineages, requires a thorough understanding of the physical setting of deposition (cave
Shades of conflict memorialisation and their artefacts: Personal Reflections
By Noel Solani The majority of South African holidays are based on historical events that were experienced by some members of this society as a result of actions by other members of the same society. A simple summer day in South
CHAPLAINS IN THE ARMY
By Mpho Khalo: Junior Curator, DITSONG: National Museum of Military History Introduction Military chaplaincies are a social institution within the army and like other social institutions similar to it have defined membership and social activities, which serve to regulate the society that
COMMEMORATING THE ATTACK BY THE FIRST SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY BRIGADE ON THE BUTTE DE WARLENCOURT OCTOBER 1916
By Allan Sinclair , DITSONG: National Museum of Military History Introduction The Ditsong National Museum of Military is investigating the possibility of obtaining the Cross of Sacrifice that had been the focal point of the S O E (Sons of England) War
THE FOUNDING OF THE BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION (BBC): ITS IMPACT AND INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD WARS
By Abraham Mohale, Junior Curator, DITSONG: National Museum of Military History The British Broadcasting Company as the BBC was originally called, was formed on 18 October 1922 by a group of leading wireless manufacturers including Guglielmo Marconi (Italian inventor and engineer).
Archery in Africa
By David Rilley-Harris, Curator, DITSONG: National Museum of Military History (DNMMH) Figure 1: One of the earliest depictions of warfare. A rock painting in Algeria showing warriors using hunting bows (Picture from the book Weapon). Archery was developed so early in human
The Mozambique Insurgency
From its beginning until South Africa’s entry (October 2017 – July 2020) David Rilley-Harris, Curator, DITSONG: National Museum of Military History (DNMMH) Since October 2017, Mozambique has been struggling with an insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. For several years
DIGITISATION – IS DITSONG MUSEUMS OF SOUTH AFRICA READY FOR THE 4TH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION?
Digitisation has been a thoroughly researched and broadly discussed issue not only amongst South African academics, archivists and library specialists, but it has been debated both technologically and philosophically throughout institutions in Africa, as a continent and internationally.
“STARVING FOR FREEDOM”: THE 1980S AND 1990S HUNGER STRIKES IN SOUTH AFRICAN PRISONS
Hunger strikes in South African prisons during Apartheid came as a result of continued human rights abuses and detentions of individuals who had been arrested for political crimes.