www.durbanhistorymuseums.org.za ISSUE 6 | 2015 / 2016 #HeritageMatters 1 UMLANDO 2015 / 2016 An aerial view of KwaMuhle Museum with the Durban skyline. 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of KwaMuhle Museum. 2 UMLANDO 2015 / 2016 UMLANDO Issue 6 | 2015/2016 | First Published 2011 by the Durban Local History Museums ISBN: 978-0-620-69470-4 CONTENTS contributors regulars local heritage 4 Editorial 39 Umkhumbane Wethu 5 Message from the Director 40 LHM Passbook Competition Director: LHM Sinothi Thabethe 90 Book Review 45 eThekwini Living Legends Editor historic moments commemorations Steven Kotze 9 60 Years of the Freedom Charter 49 Nelson Mndela Tribute [email protected] 10 Historical Statues and Monuments 51 Human Rights Day tel: 031 311 2239 53 Freedom Day Editorial Contribution outreach CONTENTS55 Workers Day Anthee Ramlucken 13 Being Afrikan 56 KwaMuhle & Reconciliation Day Ayanda Ngcobo 16 LHM Speech Contest Bonginkosi ‘Rock’ Zuma Guy Redman 18 Victoria Mxenge Lecture features Hlengiwe Mzolo 20 JT Gumede Lecture 59 Liberation Heritage Route Khanya Ndlovu 22 International Museum Day 72 Social Cohesion Rebecca Naidoo Morakane Fulumane 24 Youth Day Dialogue 76 Indigenous Languages Maypher Mngomezulu 26 Education Seminar 78 SAMA papers Mlungisi Shangase 28 Education Programme 81 Digital Photographic Collection Mohau Qalaza Nhlanhla Nkobi 83 Lucy Lindley Interpretive Centre Ntokozo Xulu exhibitions 85 Reconciliation Sinenhlanhla Malinga 31 Durban in World War One 87 Loram House Museum Thandeka Khanyile Thevan Harry 34 Mpumalanga Heritage Centre Zanele Ndlozi 36 Celebrating Transport History special update 95 Umkhumbane Heritage Centre Photographer Mlungisi Shangase 99 Meet the Team Designer Zimana Bashe All material is copyright protected. All rights reserved. Queries should be #HeritageMatters directed to the Editor. However, the views and opinions expressed in this Nationwide student protests witnessed during 2015, which publication do not necessarily refl ect ������������������������������� ��������������������� ultimately encompassed a wide range of issues, initially those of the Durban Local History began at the University of Cape Town on 9 March 2015 Museums or Editor. While every care as a denunciation of the C.J. Rhodes statue in front of has been taken to ensure accuracy of Jameson Hall on UCT’s upper campus. This localised information, the Durban Local History student movement was transformed into a more widespread Museums and Editor cannot be held phenomenon under the title of #StatuesMustFall on 26 responsible for any errors or views March 2015 when a statue of King George V was defaced at expressed. © Copyright 2016 the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard College campus. The bronze memorial was splattered with white paint and wrapped in a black cloth with the words “end white privilege” written on it. King George V was a grandson of Queen Victoria and is the grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II. He was king of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until ���������������� his death in January 1936 and visited South Africa in 1901, 1 ������������������� including a short stay in Durban, on 13 August 1901. www.durbanhistorymuseums.org.za 3 EDITORIAL From the Editor’s Desk fter a quiet start, 2015 suddenly not, depending on your personal point of emerged as a turbulent year view. There was widespread agreement of vigorous debate within the by those present at the conference session heritage sector, characterised that the responsibility for assessing both Aby public engagement on the function of the state of transformation and the success museums and monuments, as well as the of the process so far within the heritage extent of their transformation. Seen from sector lies firmly in the hands of the sector the perspective of historians, consideration itself. As custodians of the national cultural of topics such as these is a good thing assets, both tangible and intangible, it is and the sign of a society that cares deeply up to the professional corps of dedicated about the past and the nature of change. museum staff to make sure that the useful The outcome of such debates has a momentum that has been gained in this direct impact on the work of heritage regard is not wasted. professionals, and some suggestions from The current edition of Umlando the public caused a certain amount of conveys the relevance of this subject, concern in such circles, in particular the which is touched upon by many writers frequently heard proposal that specific and forms the subject of several articles. colonial and apartheid-era statues or It is, in fact, reassuring to see that the monuments should be placed in museums. Local History Museums are at the Curators all across South Africa wondered forefront of heritage transformation, where they would find space for the not only in the debate but in practical dozens of sculptures they might soon find terms too. Exciting projects such as the we would on their doorsteps. museum of education at Loram House, After a rolling campaign of pitching the Mpumalanga Heritage Centre and the paint onto statues sparked an outburst Liberation Heritage Route all form part love to hear of public consultations on the matter, of a strategy by eThekwini Municipality facilitated by both the national and to highlight heritage that relates to provincial Arts and Culture departments, the struggle for democracy. Cultural from you civic interest in the subject of heritage integration and social cohesion are at the transformation appeared to decline as centre of numerous projects run by the The Local History Museums of quickly as it surfaced. Although the issue museums, like our speech contests, the first arose due to the #RhodesMustFall cultural diversity festival and the notable eThekwini Municipality invites campaign at the University of Cape annual lectures in honour of struggle icons the submission of articles about Town, and was taken up by students and such as Victoria Mxenge and J.T. Gumede. the heritage of Durban and citizens all over South Africa, the debate it These pages of Umlando therefore serve generated should not be seen as a quirky as a useful record of the restless state its people for the 2016/2017 expression of short-lived campus debate. of heritage in South Africa during 2015, edition of Umlando. If your While the students who raised it have not only documenting the debates that community is hosting an since shifted the focus of their anger to are so crucial to improvement, but also economic issues, specifically the cost of demonstrating progress where it has anniversary this year of if tertiary education and lack of financial taken place. you know an interesting piece support for low-income families, it is of history, write an article wrong to assume the debate is over. At the annual LLAM (Library, Language, and let us know the details. Archives & Museum Services) conference Submissions will be published hosted by the KZN Department of Arts at the discretion of the the and Culture, Annie van de Venter-Radford of Amafa KwaZulu-Natal spoke about the editorial board. wonderful opportunity the heritage sector has been given to re-examine policies and Steven Kotze practices that influence public perceptions [email protected] [email protected] of how representative our museums, monuments and memorials are, or are 4 UMLANDO 2015 / 2016 LOCAL HISTORY MUSEUMS: DIRECTOR Message from the Director SINOTHI THABETHE Through all its public and educational programmes, Local History Museums has demonstrated its commitment and unquenchable desire to create a socially cohesive, non-racist, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society where all individuals live together in harmony. uring the state of the nation principle that would transform South address, which saw much drama Africa and pull the masses of people out concerning the saga of “pay back of the dungeons of poverty, lessen the gap the money”, President Jacob between rich and poor, haves and have DZuma proclaimed 2015 as the year of nots, and ultimately lead to the creation the Freedom Charter. Subsequently he of an equitable society where everyone called on all South Africans to embrace would thrive. Such proclamation came the Charter, as it contained the guiding at a time when the rand was tumbling low compared with other currencies, unemployment was high and public confidence in state institutions very low among South Africans. The proclamation was soon followed by a radical programme of action by government, working tirelessly to President Jacob Zuma proclaimed 2015 as the year of the Freedom Charter. Subsequently he called on all South Africans to implement the principles laid down in embrace the Charter, as the Freedom Charter. As campaigns by it contained the guiding government highlighted the adoption of the Freedom Charter as the government’s principle that would “Holy Bible”, this increased expectations from the general public for a speedy transform South Africa and magic to deliver them from the harsh pull the masses of people out economic and social realities of life. It was during this time that many people of the dungeons of poverty, vigorously questioned and interrogated lessen the gap between rich the Charter and soon realised that what this Charter had prophesied and and poor, haves and have advocated was nowhere nearer, 60 years after it was adopted in Kliptown in 1955. nots, and ultimately lead to Many communities started to question the creation of an equitable the leadership of the day in different spheres of local government and viewed society where everyone them as being inept and lacking the necessary leadership qualities and acumen would thrive. to implement the Freedom Charter. www.durbanhistorymuseums.org.za 5 LOCAL HISTORY MUSEUMS: DIRECTOR This stark realisation eventually led to a time when the “tempo” quickened and communities embarked on protests over lack of delivery of basic services by local authorities.