Cape Town - After more than two years of attempts for engagement and correction of what has been referred to as an offensive plinth and plaque at the Kildare Springs in Newlands, the matter is expected to be raised at the next City sub-council sitting in February.
Last Thursday, the Newlands/ Claremont Heritage, Environmental Justice and Restitution Society took matters into their own hands by draping the plinth and accompanying plaque in an act of protest against the City’s slow response to correcting it.
The society called for engagement with the City over how to accurately memorialise particularly indigenous communities and those forcibly displaced from the area.
While briefly mentioning the use of the Newlands springs by local Khoekhoen, the plaque, titled “Newlands Spring”, at Springs Way, largely recognises and memorialises the spring’s role in the brewing industry and that of Scandinavian businessman, politician and local property and water owner, Anders Ohlsson, who established Ohlsson’s Cape Breweries in 1896.
Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment Eddie Andrews said the plinth and plaque were on City-owned property and were paid for by the local sub-council – the representative structure for a particular community.
“Should subcouncil request us to do so, we will revise the content of the plaque. We advise that concerns be raised with subcouncil first so that the community representatives can consider it and then give us direction.
“We are the hands that will eventually make the change, but rely on the elected officials to engage with the community and vice versa for the community to engage through the sub-council,” Andrews said.
Ward councillor Mikhail Manuel said the matter would be brought up at the next sub-council sitting.
Manuel said he first raised the matter in February 2022 but was only informed in October this year that the process would need to go through sub-council.
“By that stage unfortunately we were too late in the year to have that be initiated in time for the November sub-council sitting. Which means that now that we have the clarity that we need we are going to have to, unfortunately, only start doing that the following sitting which is February 2024,” Manuel said.
“It really would’ve been much better if this clarity had been given right in the beginning when I first raised this in February 2022. “Because we all agree that it should be redone, we all agree that it is inappropriate.
“It doesn’t capture the history and the heritage of the area accurately.”
NCHERS said: “The NCHERS stands ready to provide clarity with regard to our demand for engagement to find creative and inclusive ways to memorialise and honour the displaced communities of historical Newlands and Claremont.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za