The Scottish Horse in Caledonia Hill in Kensington has been caught up in a monument war over the years.
It has been brutally vandalised in recent years like most war memorials in Johannesburg and the country.
This war was on colonial era monuments.
The City of Johannesburg’s directorate of arts, culture and heritage, together with Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, has been making efforts to preserve and honour the Scottish Horse.
Finally, the Scottish Horse memorial is in the process of being restored to its former glory.
The City has commissioned a new round of repairs and restoration.
The monument, over the years, has faced various cycles of vandalism that has been harsh.
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In 1961, the original bronze plaques were stolen and were replaced by granite plaques by the National Monuments Council, with financial assistance from the Transvaal Scottish Regiment.
Sadly, the same plaques were damaged by vandals on a number of occasions and were replaced again in 2000 by the South African Heritage Resources Agency.
The vandalism has continued to be a problem over the years, eating away at the monument piece by piece.
Work was commissioned in 2012 by the City to restore the monument, but could not be done due to the threat of ongoing vandalism.
A set of new plaques were made in 2012, but were never fitted to the monument.
Instead, they were placed for safekeeping at The View in Parktown, regimental HQ of the Transval Scotttish Regiment.
Also, the lightning strap has also been removed which made the memorial prone to lightening damage in view of its elevated and exposed position.
Recent damage near the base of the cross was caused by a lightning strike.
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City of Joburg head of heritage Eric Itzkin said they are pleased that the monument will be restored.
“The monument, like many in the City, has a meaning.
“It’s important to preserve them.
“Public memorials should be preserved not only for their own sake, but as a means of building greater understanding of a divided past which was oppressive for many people,” said Itzkin.
The work that will be done to the monument will include the fitting of the plaques onto the monument that were made in 2012, lead lettering of sculptor reinstated, tidying up small granite patch on cross, installing new lightning rod protection, missing part of the fence to be restored and graffiti protecting chemical finish applied.
“South Africa Association of Electrical Engineers advised us on the lightning protection.
“The most cost effective option will be to replace the strap conductor, not with copper as this is a huge temptation, but to replace it with a galvanised steel strap which can be painted with a colour that will blend closest to the natural stone colour and will not stick out like a copper strap would and hopefully go unnoticed,” explained Itzkin.
