Johannesburg – Speaker of Council for the City of Joburg, Colleen Makhubele, paid tribute at the weekend to the more than 600 men who drowned in an icy sea over 100 years ago, on February 21, 1917, on board the SS Mendi.
Makhubele was paying homage to the South African heroes during the annual SS Mendi Memorial Service at Avalon Cemetery in Soweto.
“It is an honour to pay tribute to the men of SS Mendi, who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Today, we remember the South African Native Labour Contingent, South African Veterans from all wars and the liberation struggle. We salute and thank you for your service,” she said.
Makhubele, along with more than 20 embassies and South African military attachments, veterans associations, and the next of kin of those who perished in the sea on that fateful day 106 years ago, observed a moment of silence before laying wreaths at a monument inscribed with the names of the fallen heroes.
According to the Presidency, the SS Mendi sank in the cold waters of the English Channel near the Isle of Wight after being struck in thick fog by another ship in an unfortunate naval accident.
"On board were more than 600 black South African volunteer soldiers en route to France to assist in the Allied war effort during the First World War. The soldiers and their fellow white officers, having all assembled on the deck of the badly listing ship and realising their imminent death because the port-side lifeboats had been rendered unusable, began to sing and perform a traditional death dance.
“Legend has it that they bravely resigned themselves to their fate and continued to sing before the vessel plunged to the seabed," added the Presidency.
In honour of the fearless men of the SS Mendi, the Presidency awards the Order of Mendi for Bravery.
“Fittingly, the central motif of the design of this order is the oval shape of a traditional African shield, usually made from animal hide woven into a rigid and durable armour and used for protection in close combat.
“The band, which renders the shape of the shield, is punctuated with the spoor of the lion, representing vigilance, power, and bravery and symbolising South Africa’s efforts at protecting its borders and the country. The band is criss-crossed with the tips and bases of a knobkierie and a spear, traditional symbols of defence and honour.”
The central image within the shield is an image of the SS Mendi sailing on the waters of the English Channel.
The depiction of the blue crane in flight above the SS Mendi symbolises the departing souls of the drowned soldiers.
The feathers of the blue crane were traditionally conferred to adorn brave warriors during the time of colonial wars.
“The central image is sealed above by a green emerald, which is surrounded on three sides by renditions of the bitter aloe, a hardy indigenous South African plant used in traditional medicine,” the Presidency added.
The Star