Local historians paid tributes at book fair in White River

Ton Sanders is the 2024 recipient of the annual Mpumalanga Heritage Award. He published three well-researched books on various aspects of the history of the town of Chrissiesmeer.

Tumelo Waga Dibakwane

April 22, 2024

Duncan Ballantyne, chairperson of Mpumalanga Heritage.> Photos: Tumelo Waga Dibakwane

An attorney who spent much of his retirement in the village of Chrissiesmeer, Ton Sanders, is the 2024 recipient of the annual Mpumalanga Heritage Award for his contribution to the research, documentation and conservation of the history and heritage of the Lowveld region.

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The occasion took place at the Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre last Saturday, April 13, with a book fair of historical books that now will become an annual event for Mpumalanga Heritage book festival calendar. Since his retirement some 20 years ago, Sanders published three well-researched books on various aspects of the history of the town of Chrissiesmeer.

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The well-known local historian, Hans Bornman, a previous recipient of this award who recently died, was also honoured.

The poet and historian, Dr Johann Lodewyk Marais, described Bornman and his legacy of books as the memory of the Lowveld.

He suggested that Bornman be awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Mpumalanga for the unique work he has done in documenting the history of this region.