Memorial honours brave fathers, sons aboard SS Mendi

Hundreds of men on board the SS Mendi, who died when the ship sank in the English Channel more than a century ago, represented conviction, solidarity and unshakable dignity of African humanity.

These poignant words formed part of the University of Cape Town's (UCT) deputy vice-chancellor for Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness, Professor Elelwani Ramugondo's, keynote address during the SS Mendi memorial on Sunday, 8 March. The commemoration, which included a wreath-laying ceremony, was held in honour of the 616 men who lost their lives when their steam ship was struck by a large cargo ship, SS Daro, in the English Channel 109 years ago.

"Sadly, the sons, fathers and husbands never made it to their destination."

"Sadly, the sons, fathers and husbands never made it to their destination. Today, we honour those brave men, who left behind the comfort of their homes to fight in World War I," Professor Ramugondo said.

Integral part of UCT's history

The men who died represented the 5th battalion of the South African Native Labour Corp and had volunteered to serve in World War I. To honour their bravery, the Gunners Association of South Africa in partnership with UCT, organises a memorial on lower campus - the site where the men spent their last night on South African soil - every year.

Because the site is now part of UCT's lower campus, Professor Ramugondo said the university will forever be woven intricately into the fabric of the SS Mendi.

"At UCT, this commemoration is not merely symbolic. It is intentional. Those brave men spent their last night in South Africa at the former Rosebank Showgrounds (now lower campus). So, our history as UCT will forever be intertwined with that of the SS Mendi," she said.

A 'growing and meaningful' collaboration

Addressing dignitaries and guests, including members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the British High Commission, Ramugondo said this year's commemoration reflects a growing and meaningful collaboration between UCT, the Gunner's Association of South Africa, and the South African Heritage Resources Agency.

"Partnerships such as this are critical, and they are foundational to the academic project. They ensure that [remembrance] is not passive, but active - grounded in scholarship, heritage preservation and national purchases," she said.

Ramugondo said the university recognises that heritage is a living archive that shapes its moral imagination. And through partnerships with the Gunner's Association, the institution bridges generations of service, honour and sacrifice.

"Together we build a continuum of memory and meaning," she said.

Understanding the history

Ramugondo encouraged the SANDF to consider bringing the SS Mendi Bell (a historic artifact recovered from the wreckage), to UCT for public display. She said the bell is more than just a maritime artifact; it's a national symbol. And to have it at UCT will allow people of the province and students at the university to encounter history "not as an abstraction but as presence".

She also challenged guests to raise awareness on the tragedy among the younger generation. She said it's important that young people know and understand the history, not as a footnote in a textbook, but as part of their intellectual inheritance.

"The men of the SS Mendi were not passive victims. They were active agents in shaping South Africa's landscape. May we continue to honour [these] men, not only with wreaths and words, but with action and through partnerships and initiatives [that forms part of] building a just and inclusive South Africa," she said.

"May the memory of the SS Mendi brave men continue to guide us."