LAS ACTIVIDADES EXTRAESCOLARES

That racial segregation and prejudice characterised South African society at least as far back as the beginning of the 20^th century was evident from the attitude of the Library Committee to members of the public who were not of European descent. As early as 1901 the question arose as to whether the Kimberley Public Library should accept Coloured or African members of the community as Subscribers. Enquiries in this regard were made to the Durban Public Library to ascertain whether or not they had accepted non-white subscribers to which the response had been that the question had not yet arisen. On the other hand the Library Committee did acknowledge, somewhat reluctantly, that they could not have their bread buttered on both sides and that

the acceptance of Parliamentary and municipal grants makes it impossible to refuse the advantages of the Public Room to any section of the Community (KPL Minutes, 14.11.1901).

But, in spite of this obligation and the need for additional subscribers, members of the Library Committee did not see their way clear to accepting Coloureds or Africans as members of the Library. The Minutes of the Library Committee record that as early as 1911 a certain Mr Mosuang applied for admission as a Library Subscriber but that the Committee resolved unanimously

that in the interests of the Library the admission of Coloured people as subscribers is not desirable and that the present application not be entertained (KPL Minutes, 14.06.1911).

Again in 1916, the Library Committee discussed a letter received from a native teacher, Mr Ntsiki of the Lyndhurst Road School wishing to know whether natives were permitted to become Subscribers to the Library and if so, kindly to inform him of the amount of the subscription.

After discussion, the Secretary was directed to state in reply that as the resources of this institution do not permit of provision being made for the admission of natives, the Committee regret their inability to entertain such applications (KPL Minutes, 08.11.1916).

To his credit, the Deputy Chairman, OJS Satchel concluded the Annual Report of 1920 by drawing the attention of the Subscribers to

the pressing necessity for providing in some way reading facilities for the coloured and native communities … and that it was their bounden duty to see that all classes of the community could join in that common boon of mankind – the perusal of books (KPL Annual Report, 1920).

The Library Committee faced an awkward situation in 1924 when it was revealed that a teacher from Bloemfontein, Geddes Nolutshungu had ‘solicited admission as a subscriber in his own name’. The Secretary informed the meeting that this teacher had previously, with the Chairman’s consent, been permitted to take out books during 1922 while he was stationed at the Tiger Kloof Institution provided that the subscription was entered in the name of the Principal of the Institution. After consideration of the circumstances, the Library Committee decided to refuse the application (KPL Minutes, 14.03.1924 & 11.04.1924).

The debate on this matter continued for many years and the Library Minutes of 25 February 1937 record the receipt of a letter from the Cape Coloured Welfare Association enquiring

whether the “colour bar” existed at the Library and whether Coloured people were acceptable as subscribers. After a short discussion it was decided to inform this Association that any well-conducted person was at liberty to use the public room at the Library, free of charge, during the usual hours, but there was no accommodation for Coloured subscribers in the private rooms of the institution (KPL Minutes, 25.02.1937).

A second appeal by this Association to accept people of colour as subscribers was made to the Library Committee but this request was refused (KPL Minutes, 11.03.1937).

At a meeting held on 8 April 1937, the Library Committee again responded negatively to a request from the African Peoples’ Organisation to supply 50 volumes per fortnight to approximately 200 Coloured senior students by maintaining that

the Library was not in a position to supply school libraries and hostels (KPL Minutes, 08.04.1937).

That these reasonable requests were not treated with greater sympathy did not further the cause of the Library as it is fair to assume that any member of either the Coloured or African communities who wished to and could afford to become a member of the Kimberley Public Library, would not have been a encumbrance to the white Subscribers. One has only to call to mind the contribution made by the celebrated Solomon Plaatje to the literary heritage of South Africa to realise how short-sighted was the view of the Library Committee in this regard. Plaatje spent several years of his life in Kimberley during which time he and others among the African intelligentsia played a significant role in the cultural life of their people. But more than that, Plaatje was considered one of the outstanding pioneers in the field of African journalism in South Africa and indeed the doyen of the African political journalists. Indeed he owned and edited two newspapers in Kimberley and was the author of several books (Rall 2003: 93). Plaatje with his penchant for literature would undoubtedly have enjoyed the privilege of membership of the Kimberley Public Library. Indeed the Library Committee had the opportunity not only to encourage

other communities to read but by doing so could also have improved the financial position of the Library. It is also interesting to note that the predominantly English-speaking Kimberley Public Library membership and Committee took these decisions independently, without the force of legislation to justify their stance.

Although the Kimberley Public Library continued to function as a Subscription Library and the Library Committee was answerable to no one other than the Subscribers, the Annual Report of 1957 reflects a consideration for the literary needs of other cultural groups in the community. Several hundred books were presented to the library in the Bantu Social Centre in the African township of Galeshewe and the Library Committee was instrumental in obtaining a number of useful books for this library from the British Council (KPL Annual Report, 1957).