Sol T. Plaatje's Ink: Exploring the nascent Setswana public sphere through the form of Plaatje's newspapers (1901-1915)

Abstract

Sol T. Plaatje’s Ink: Exploring the nascent Setswana public sphere through the form of Plaatje’s newspapers (1901–1915) At the dawn of the 20th century, Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje emerged as a pioneering figure in South African journalism, launching and editing the influential newspapers Koranta ea Becoana, Tsala ea Becoana, and Tsala ea Batho between 1901 and 1915. This thesis interrogates the form and function of Plaatje’s journalism within the early black press, examining how his newspapers conceptualised and constituted the Setswana and broader African public sphere during a period of intensifying colonial oppression and racial segregation. Drawing on Jürgen Habermas’s theory of the public sphere, postcolonial theory, and Afrocentricity, the study explores how Plaatje’s multilingual newspapers that blended Setswana, English, and isiXhosa, articulated the political, social, and cultural concerns of black South Africans, challenged colonial narratives, and fostered a participatory platform for black voices. Through a qualitative analysis of editorials, articles, letters, and advertisements, the research reveals how Plaatje’s editorial strategies engendered a black counterpublic, pioneered new journalistic genres, and contributed to the formation of collective identity and African consciousness. The findings underscore the newspapers’ dual role as both a mirror of black sociability and a catalyst for political mobilisation, highlighting the complex interplay between media, language, and politics in early 20th-century South Africa. Ultimately, this thesis restores Plaatje’s journalism to its rightful place in the discipline, offering new insights into the history of African media and the dynamics of the nascent Setswana public sphere.