Heritage sites can drive economic growth and job creation [video]

The 125th anniversary of the Battle of Spion Kop was commemorated by the KwaZulu-Natal government recently.

The event was held on Friday on Spion Kop hill in Bergville where economic development, tourism and environmental affairs MEC Rev Musa Zondi called on South Africans to visit heritage sites.

The Battle of Spion Kop was a major battle in the Anglo-Boer War. It took place on 23-24 January 1900. The British lost to the Afrikaners.

Battle of Spion Kop

The late Mahatma Gandhi, who served as a lawyer, politician and activist in the struggle for India’s independence from British rule, participated in the Anglo-Boer War as a stretcher-bearer assisting the British army.

Speaking to the media after the event, which was attended by international dignitaries and locals, Zondi said his department, in collaboration with the provincial department of arts and culture as well as other stakeholders, was on a mission to use heritage sites to generate income and create employment for the communities situated near them.

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“Commemorations like this highlight the power of heritage tourism.

“Sites like Spion Kop and Isandlwana are not just places of memory but bridges to the past, offering opportunities for cultural and economic growth.

“This week, filmmakers, tour operators and guests from around the world have experienced the unique history and the breathtaking beauty of the Drakensberg region,” said Zondi.

History and beauty of Drakensberg

“This is a reflection of what happened many years ago in the past but from our point of view, this is part and parcel of our heritage.

“It’s part and parcel of tourism, it’s ecotourism and its cultural tourism.

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“We need to encourage our people to visit these kinds of places, as well as international tourists.

“When people travel here, you need local people to make sure that the roads are fixed.

“When it is hot up here on the hill, people need water. So that will create jobs for the locals,” said Zondi.

Heritage create jobs for locals

Speaking at the event, Gandhi’s granddaughter, Ela Gandhi, said she was happy that her grandfather’s participation in the war was celebrated.

“I am happy, but there have been a lot of criticisms about his participation in the war.

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“He had just qualified as a lawyer and came to South Africa.

“He was a British citizen because India was a British dominion. That is why he did what he did.

“Then he also participated in the Bambata uprising assisting the Zulu nation in that fight.

Mahatma Gandhi’s participation

“These stories need to be told so that the future generations can learn from them that we are human and we are all the same.

“The sooner we discuss the divisions between us, the better the world will be.”

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Zondi said: “This sacred battlefield is a place of remembrance and reflection, reminding us of the cost of conflict and the importance of working for peace.

“This event not only remembers a pivotal chapter in our shared history but also honours the resilience, courage and sacrifices of all who took part in these historic battles,” he said.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kempley MA Buchan-Smith, commanding officer of the 5th Battalion The Rifles, read a message from Prince William, Prince of Wales, which stated: “As the royal colonel of 5th Battalion The Rifles, I send greetings from the United Kingdom on the 125th anniversary of the Battle of Spion Kop.

Message from Prince William

“There is a direct link between the Boer campaign and nearly every regular Battalion of The Rifles.

“Six of our antecedent regiments fought throughout this period: The 2nd Devons, 2nd Dorsets, 3rd Kings Royal Rifle Corps, 1st Rifles Brigade, 1st Durham Light Infantry and The 2nd Somerset Light Infantry.”

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“Although heavy losses were sustained during the battle, the courage and determination of participants on all sides and from every faith, culture and background was remarkable.

“Spion Kop has come to symbolise not only the sacrifices of those who fought, but also the broader human cost of conflict.

“A lesson that is all too often forgotten and I am heartened that this commemoration is being used as an opportunity to honour the memory of the fallen and pledge to care for the living.

Opportunity to honour the memory of the fallen

“I am saddened that I am unable to join you on this special day, but please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers as you pay tribute.”

Prof Fransjohan Pretorius, a history expert, said the Anglo-Boer War should be celebrated continuously.

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“On the British side there were Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Natal and Cape colonists.

“And on the Transvaal side, there was the Free State.

“And then there were 2 000 volunteers from Europe, individuals who were not members of armies on the Boer side, from Germany, Holland, Austria, Hungary and Russia.”

Important battles

Another history expert, Siphumelele Zondi, also agreed it was important to battles such as the Battle of Spion Kop.

Zondi said what made it important to South Africans was that the battle was about the ownership of South African land.

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