Nathaniel Nakasa

Date: 14 July, 1965

Ndazana Nathaniel (Nat) Nakasa, journalist and writer, died on this date. He left South Africa by means of an exit permit and because of this could never return. As it became clear he would never be able to return home, he committed suicide by jumping from a window of a high-rise building. Attempts to bring his body home bore no fruit, as the government of the day would hear none of it, and he was subsequently buried at the Ferncliff cemetery in upstate New York. The Print Media Association, the South African Nieman Alumni, and the South African National Editors' Forum have established an annual award for courageous journalism, which is named after him. Its first recipient was Jon Qwelane.

Source:

Sonderling, N.E. (ed.) (1999). New Dictionary of South African Biography, v.2 , Pretoria: Vista.

http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/nakasa-nn.htm

http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2886628&fSectionId=360&fSetId=251