1927 South Africa Train Disaster: Black Victims Forgotten in Press Coverage

In the quiet, far-flung reaches of the veld approaching Heidelberg there lies a train track that witnessed, and then forgot, one of the largest train accidents in South Africa’s history. On 27 July 1927, a train carrying migrants from what today are the provinces of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal collided with a goods train near the quiet town of Mapleton. 31 people died in the accident and many more were injured.

The way in which the accident was reported plays a significant role in how we understand the story today. The history of the accident, and the accompanying media reporting, provide an interesting case study in the links between history, media and memorialisation. It is clear, 99 years on, that journalists are “servants of history” because their records have given us crucial information about the events of the fateful day. At around 4.20pm on the day of the accident, a train carrying migrant workers from Natal left Glenroy station.