The destruction, removal, theft and defacement of memorial plaques, statues and busts in Kimberley is economic sabotage, as their absence diminishes the appeal that draws tourists to the city, adversely impacting the tourist sector.
These are the opinions of a local archaeologist and a historian who laments the loss of the city’s heritage and tourism attractions.
Dr. David Morris, archaeologist, and Steve Lunderstedt, author, historian and tour guide, believe fewer tourists adds to the unemployment rate.
Like Lunderstedt, Morris believes the vandalism is not politically motivated, but results from the homeless resorting to desperate means to survive.
This comes after one of the five bronze statues at the already damaged Diggers’ Memorial Fountain in the Ernest Oppenheimer Gardens was removed from the fountain and the arms chopped off last month.
Morris, a retired archaeologist, says the recent theft of the Sir David Harris bust and plaque is deeply troubling.
“There have been similar incidents of metal removals in recent years – from the Cenotaph in Du Toitspan Road and City Hall, and the sawing off of brass parts of the Long Cecil gun. The sieve that had been held up by the five men at the Diggers’ Memorial Fountain was stolen in October 2020. A heavy bronze plaque was subsequently taken from the Cenotaph in January 2021.
“The theft of the bust from the Sir David Harris Memorial on the corner of Park Road and Regiment Way, and of one of the figures on the Diggers’ Memorial have been much more brazen.
“Elsewhere, the cast-iron fencing around the Trinity Methodist Church in Chapel Street is all but gone, replaced by clearview fencing – which was also erected around the Mayibuye Memorial in Galeshewe to curb vandalism.
“Piece by piece, Kimberley is losing the physical fabric from its past. Apart from this having an impact on heritage and the markers around on which community memory is constructed, and revised, this is also a form of economic sabotage.
“I do not believe these thefts are politically motivated but are a response to prevailing poverty, for the exchange of scrap for cash. Scrap metal items are probably chopped up and mangled beyond recognition before being brought to the scrap metal dealer.”
“This many-facetted problem requires constructive, co-ordinated and multi-pronged responses.
“Let us hope that recent incidents may galvanise the various role-players to put heads together and halt the destruction, which has numerous consequences from economic sabotage. This includes loss of infrastructure and tourism resources, to loss of community memory and traces of the past, to actual injuries and liabilities resulting from missing man-hole covers and drain-grates.”
Lunderstedt says he has ceased conducting tours of the famous Belgravia Walk, Kimberley North Walk as well as the ghost tour as the streets of Kimberley have become too dangerous, day and night.
“Tourists are harassed by beggars and cars have been broken into. Based on pre-pandemic statistics, tourist numbers have dwindled dramatically. And with the destruction of tourist attractions, the city is going down on the list of places to visit. If tourists visit the city, they go to the Big Hole and are gone within a few hours.
“The number of tourist guides have dwindled from 30 a few years back to at most about ten today. To add insult to injury, there is hardly any marketing of the city to attract tourists.
“Kimberley does not have any big business to rely on other than tourism.
“You cannot erase history by destroying statues. If people think the destruction of monuments and changing of street names erases the history of colonialism or imperialism, then they must destroy every old building, street and even the Anglican Church with its origins in England, the Imperialist country.
“History is today’s heritage. Since 1994 only two statues have been erected in honour of Sol Plaatje and Frances Baard. Why not for Robert Sobukwe and Dr Arthur Letele? Add to our attractions, don’t take them away.
“There is no law and order anymore. I rarely see the police and have not heard of any conviction following the vandalism incidents. It is the neighbourhood watches and security guards who protect us, apparently.”
