GEORGE NEWS - All members of the public of George are invited to a public meeting on 11 March to seek the community's views and formulate a recommendation to Heritage Western Cape regarding the possible moving of the three name plaques from the Garden Route Botanical Garden (GRBT) to the cenotaph of the Moths.
It will take place at the Moth Shell Hole, 6 Rijk Tulbach Street, Loerie Park, at 18:00. Covid-19 regulations will apply.
No entrance without a mask will be allowed and social distancing will be applied.
The meeting is organised by the Simon van der Stel Foundation: Southern Cape and the George Heritage Trust in collaboration with the GRBT and the George Municipality.
History of the cenotaph
According to a background document drawn up by Dr Natie de Swardt of the Simon van der Stel Foundation: Southern Cape, the memorial was erected by public subscription after the two World Wars to commemorate members of the Allied Forces from the Southern Cape who gave their lives for the cause.
The memorial was located at the junction of Courtenay and York streets until development and the increase in traffic necessitated its removal from the busy intersection. Through the endeavours of some civic-minded Georgians, the plaques with names of the fallen were saved and moved to a new memorial in an open space in the GRBT.
In the document it is stated that, over time, circumstances necessitated the fencing in of the botanical garden. Changed demographics are making new demands on the garden. It has to provide in modern needs with regard to education, relaxation and tourism.
The garden has no budget for the upkeep of the memorial and needs the space it occupies for expansion. Under present conditions, the memorial cannot be visited freely; it is out of sight and is dominated on all sides by bird cages.
The memorial is protected in terms of Section 37 of the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 and cannot be altered or demolished without the authorisation of the relevant heritage authority, which is Heritage Western Cape.
Culture and demographics are dynamic and change constantly. Heritage conservation has to keep this reality in mind. The war memorial in the centre of the Heerengracht in Cape Town had to make way for bus lanes. Where memorials are not geographically attached to a certain position, like the house of ex-president Mandela or the farm of General Smuts or a battle ground, memorialisation can be done equally well in another location.
The war memorial in the GRBT is not location-bound. In this respect it differs from the Burchell memorial in the garden. (Burchell made his camp on the site where the GRBT is now and made sketches showing his view of the mountains.)
The main part of the war memorial is of no historical value, having been built to house the three plaques with the names of the deceased several years after the wars, when the memorial was moved the first time.
The value lies in the name plaques of slate, that are showing signs of deterioration and run the risk of falling out and being destroyed.
The GRBT does not have a budget for the upkeep of the memorial; it does not view the memorial as part of its key function and needs the space occupied by the memorial. It is reported that the memorial is very seldom visited in its present location.
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (Moths) has a chapter, officially called a shell hole, in George and its own property with a clubhouse, a cenotaph, a statue, military artifacts, etc. Memorialising fallen comrades from past wars is one of its core activities.
The Moths have offered to accommodate the three name plaques from the memorial in the GRBT at its own well-maintained cenotaph.
Public participation
As South Africa is a participatory democracy and the voices of communities are listened to. All members of the public are invited to the meeting to seek the community's views and to help formulate a recommendation to Heritage Western Cape regarding the possible moving of the three name plaques from the GRBT to the cenotaph of the Moths.
For more information, contact Dr Natie de Swardt, Simon van der Stel Foundation: Southern Cape on 083 752 9340 or Corné Brink of the GRBT on 044 874 1558.
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