Gert Sibande History Timelines
The origin of the name of Gert Sibande District Municipality
In February 2003 the Council was renamed from Eastvaal District Council to “Gert Sibande” in honour of Richard Gert Sibande, a well-known activist within the ANC. He grew to be known as “The Lion of the East” for his political and trade union work in the Eastern Transvaal. He fought for the rights of the farm workers. He was also known as a “troublemaker” among the white farmers for questioning his employers. He was the founder of a Farm Workers Association, the first organization in South Africa to fight for the rights of the farm workers. The Farm Workers Association helped farm workers to get their crops back and it also helped those farm workers who escaped from the farms due to maltreatment.
Farm Workers Association sent Gert Sibande to meet the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg
In 1939, the Farm Workers Association sent Gert Sibande to meet the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg. On his return, he started an ANC branch in Bethal. The branch grew very quick and became one of the strongest ANC branches in the country., thus the name, ‘The Lion of the East”. Gert Sibande was amongst 156 activists accused of committing treason in 1956 which ended with the acquittal of all in 1961. Soon after the treason trial, the government forcefully captured Sibande and removed him from Bethal and dropped him in Komatipoort near Swaziland and Mozambique. That would not stop him. He founded the Plantation and Allied Union and continued to work for the movement even after he was banned. His last days were spent in a flat in Manzini, Swaziland, where he died of natural causes in 1987 and was buried at the local cemetery in Manzini. He is survived by five children, Dumazile, Minah, Elizabeth, Leroy and Bethuel.
Gert Richard Sibande Statue
In preserving his memory and in honour of the legend of Gert Richard Sibande and all his sacrificial work for the betterment of the lives of the farm workers, a statue of the legend will forever stand for generations to come and will tell a story of the impact his life made. Visit the Gert Sibande District Municipality Office Complex in Ermelo and also the town of Bethal under Govan Mbeki Local Municipality for statue viewing.