Programme Director
Mayor of uMngeni Municipality, Councillor Mbali Myeni
MEC for Arts, Culture and Sports, Honourable Weziwe Thusi
Members of Parliament present
Mayors present
Mr Verne Harris from the Nelson Mandela Foundation
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
All protocol observed
I am deeply moved to be part of this historic occasion to honour one of the distinguished sons of Africa, a product of our National Liberation Movement the ANC, who without a doubt has bequeathed us and many more generations to come so much of a legacy to celebrate and be proud of.
It is indeed a great privilege for us to share in this auspicious occasion which seeks to preserve one of our country’s iconic heritage which serve to chronicle one among the many journeys our nation has travelled in its pursuit of a goal of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society.
It is often said that those who leave an indelible mark on the history of the world seldom consciously set out to change the world. Those who have emerged as leaders in the various epochs of the history of the world are men and women who were driven by ideals that not many during their time could fully appreciate.
They are ordinary women and men who dare to dream of a better world, people who have faith in their convictions and who single-mindedly pursue goals that, at times, seem unattainable. Former President Nelson Mandela is one of this rare species and our country is the better because of his sacrifice, leadership and vision.
The Nelson Mandela Capture Site is one of the most important sites in the quest to free our nation. It allows us an opportunity to follow the footprints of a man whose long walk to freedom suffered a temporary set-back in these hills when he was detained by the apartheid police and marked the last days of his freedom for many years.
One of the visitors who toured this area and visited the current Mandela Capture Site recently made the following observations: “As I meandered in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands with two ladies in my life - girlfriend and mom. The highlights were the two historical sites - the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and Fort Nottingham”.
Of the Mandela Capture Site the visitor said, “Just a few Kilometers from Howick. It is a tiny monument which records that Madiba was arrested by the apartheid police before being detained, leading to his long imprisonment. Given how significant Mandela is to South Africa and world-history, it’s such a pity that such a significant event is acknowledged by a small structure, the plaque of which is fading and is missing a few bricks”. He further remarked that “there isn’t an information board explaining how our icon was arrested and what the circumstances were. It’s just so sad because Mandela’s character and his life attract massive attention”.
Indeed the concerns of our tourists are valid. Former President Mandela’s life is a practical expression of the resilience of the human spirit to thrive over evil. As such, all aspects of this life are worth preserving because they remind us, even at the darkest of hours, that the road to achieving one’s objectives is long and arduous but if one is convinced that one’s cause is just, then there is no stumbling block that can stop that individual.
The Mandela Capture Site, therefore, is that important milestone in our nation’s march towards freedom. Indeed, it was an anomaly that it did not receive the attention it deserved. As we all know, no scholar’s journey to Senegal is ever complete without visiting the Goree Islands where slaves were imprisoned before they were shipped to the foreign slave markets. Likewise, no one should leave the province without visiting this site for it is such an important part of our heritage and our life.
Programme director, we stand here today proud to announce that through our humble efforts we are commencing, in earnest, with programmes that seek to elevate this important legacy of our nation so that it can be recognised more and can become a source of inspiration for many who will come across in their life’s travels. Through the exhibition and upgrade of this historic site, we are embarking on an important journey to recover a significant part of our history as a nation. The poor attention that has been given to this national symbol has resulted in a number of missed heritage and tourism opportunities.
The acquisition of this farm by the uMngeni Municipality with the assistance of the Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs will assist in developing this site as a Cultural, Heritage and Tourism complex that will drive job creation in the area and create economic development opportunities.
As the province of KwaZulu-Natal, we consider ourselves to be blessed that Madiba will be found here through this legacy project. This site and exhibition will become an educational institution, allowing all of humankind to learn and be inspired by the selfless life of our towering former State President. We have no doubt that the major developments that are being unveiled today will contribute in developing this route as one of the major heritage routes in our province that will enrich all who visits it, while serving as a catalyst for the development of our communities.
The opening of this exhibition is the first step in achieving this and will become a focus for visitors to the Midlands strengthening the Meander experience and providing a focus for the many schools in the area to introduce the youth to this legacy and instil in them the understanding of our history and Madiba’s legacy of selflessness sacrifice and humility.
The installation of an art work depicting and recreating the face of President Nelson Mandela in a portrait set into the landscape of the site will add to the exhibition in creating a unique attraction and tourist destination marking the spot where his face was removed from public view for so many long years but which has emerged again to light up the entire world. This is an important step in ensuring that this important heritage is properly preserved so that it can be accessible to future generations to learn from it.
Today’s initiative is a culmination of a strong partnership between the Provincial Government of KwaZulu-Natal, the uMngeni Municipality, the Nelson Mandela foundation, historians and many other role-players. I have no doubt that this site will from now on take forward the ideals that Madiba stood for such as Nation Building, Unity and Reconciliation.
When the oppressors arrested Mandela here the intention was to divide us as a nation, but we are delighted today that this incident, which was supposed to entrench racial polarisation, will advance the vision of unity and freedom. People from all walks of life and across racial divide will all unite in this place to gather more courage and strength as we all strive to build a better life for all.
We owe a big debt of gratitude to Tata Madiba and all the leaders of his generation, the many sung and unsung heroes and heroines who, in their quest for humanity to be free, changed all the aspects of our history in South Africa. For our province, the renewal of this site is a fitting tribute to an epic contribution to the freedom of humanity.
We are delighted that apart from building social cohesion, the upgrades to this site will assist our efforts to link heritage with tourism which this area is richly endowed with hence turning it into one of must visit sights in our province. This project will transform and reposition this area to be one of the lovely parts of the world to be in.
When President Mandela visited Howick to receive the Freedom of the Town in 1996; he made the following remarks “The towns in this area differ sharply from the surrounding rural areas”. Madiba was talking about the stark contrasts in the standard of living between the urban and rural. This, we felt, was a challenge for us who have been given the privilege to serve, to accelerate the process of social transformation through service delivery.
Addressing the glaring inequalities that still exist is the least we can do to honour the legacy of this great leader. Through the means and efforts we are putting in place to expand and develop this project, we must ensure that it contributes to changing the lives of our people for the better. We must ensure that we turn this site into a national asset with an economic trickledown effect to its surrounding communities.
Madiba has given us in this province a lifelong gift upon which no monetary can be attached. We must repay his sacrifice and struggle against the oppressive apartheid regime by doing the best we can to bring a better life to our people. This we must do first by ensuring that we govern better in the various institutions of government we serve in, that we remain accountable to the citizens, that we prudently manage our municipalities, that we fight corruption and that, in our behaviour, we reflect the key values of President Nelson Mandela.
I think it is correct that such an impressive gathering of important guests such as you have been brought together by an auspicious event to fittingly honour our living icon.
Thank you.
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
