Black World War I servicemen honoured with memorial in Company’s Garden
A new memorial in the Company’s Garden honours more than 1 700 black servicemen who served and died with the Military Labour Corps during World War I and had no known graves.
“We will remember them” - these were the words repeated at the inauguration of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) newest memorial, last Wednesday, January 22.
The Cape Town Labour Corps Memorial was formally opened in the Delville Wood Memorial garden by president of the CWGC, Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
It consists of poles or markers, made of African hardwood with a partial steel core, bearing the names of black South Africans who gave their lives in World War I.
Director General of the CWGC, Claire Horton CBE, opened the event with a reading that ended: “We will not allow your memory to fade. We will remember you.”
She said they were honoured to have Princess Anne joining them for the unveiling of the memorial in the presence of descendants of the servicemen.
“This landmark memorial, designed and built collaboratively in South Africa, testifies to our shared global history and responsibility to honour all those who gave their lives in service. It acts as a poignant tribute to the predominantly black South Africans who fought in Africa during the First World War and who were not commemorated at the time.
“The careful and deliberate design of this new memorial offers visitors the space to contemplate the scale of loss of military labourers who gave their lives - ensuring their contribution to the war effort is never forgotten.”
The memorial was designed by Dean Jay Architects of Durban, chosen out of 10 finalists across South Africa in a design competition by the CWGC in 2022.
At the time, Mr Jay told the CapeTowner that the memorial was conceptualised with the idea of land artwork The Lightning Field by sculptor Walter De Maria in New Mexico which consists of 400 stainless steel poles.
Princess Anne said it was humbling to have present the families of the men of the South African Military Labour corps who served with valour in campaigns during World War I.
“It is important to recognise that those we have come to pay tribute to have gone unacknowledged for too long.They gave their all in the most challenging of services, their courage and dedication were essential to the allied efforts and their legacy deserves the lasting recognition that this memorial provides,” she said.
The memorial stands as a reminder of loss and ensures the names in stories of those who served and died will echo in history for future generations, she said.
“We will celebrate the enduring bonds of solidarity that remain strong and indivisible between the United Kingdom and our Commonwealth family. In dedicating this memorial, we honour the past but also reaffirm our commitment to the principles that bind us together. I hope this memorial serves not only as a tribute to the former but also as a beacon of unity and remembrance for all who’ll visit in the years to come,” said Princess Anne.
Among the visitors at the inauguration was Elliot Malunga Delihlazo, the great nephew of Bhesengile Delihlazo, one of the servicemen represented in the labour corps memorial.
Mr Delihlazo, who is from Eastern Cape, said the family felt proud to have Bhesengile commemorated. “We are very happy, although it pains us that we still could’t find the remains.”
However, he said, they were happy to finally know the year of Bhesengile’s death. “The story at home is that he went to war and never came back... we don’t know the cause of his death.”
He said when his great-uncle left for the war, he had two wives - he had two daughters from his first wife, and a son and daughter from the second wife. Mr Delihlazo said Bhesengile’s son and his family live in Orange Farm in Gauteng.
Zweletu Hlakula, the great grandson of Job Hlakula, a labour corps serviceman commemorated in the new memorial, said: “We are very proud of him. We even rejoice when we talk about Job; it’s a pride that we’ve got in our name, for him to be remembered, for him to be in the history of our South Africa, that makes us very humble.”
A number of representatives of schools were also invited to witness the inauguration of the memorial, including Gardens Commercial High School pupils.
Sisona Qhimngqoshe,15, from Khayelitsha, and Onikayo Ngantweni, 16, from Crossroads, who are pupil leaders, said they were honoured to have access to such an important site on their school’s doorstep.
Ms Qhimngqoshe said it was amazing that they could join in on a commemoration of history.
Ms Ngantweni said she felt privileged to be able to see a piece of history every day and connect to “our roots”.
“We are honouring those who were not acknowledged in the past. To know that it’s in front of me - the history was put in front of me to remember and embrace. We had an idea and we would like to create a school club with the Commonwealth and we want to pitch to the president - which is the Princess Royal. We were so excited to meet the princess. I went to do some research and I saw that she is quite ‘the girl’ - she has her shades on, she’s on fleek...she’s that girl.“
To which Ms Ngantweni replied: “Facts... she is the girl.”
Teacher Johannes Amsterdam from Cornflower Primary School in Lentegeur, Mitchell’s Plain, said the memorial was long overdue.
“It’s heart-warming to hear a name and surname. I have a child in my class with the surname, Adonisi. I can share with her, it was perhaps one of her ancestors. We bring our children here to teach them this history.”
Cornflower Primary School pupil, Liso Valelo, who attended the ceremony, said they were part of rewriting history and the men were finally recognised for their work.
Fay Daniels, former principal of Summerdale High School, also in Lentegeur, said they were part of the memorial celebration since the information sessions the previous Friday. “I was impressed by our pupils with their inquisitive minds on the history of the men who died in the war. It was an emotional yet enlightening experience.”
Summerdale High Grade 11 pupil Nicole Myburgh said she’s grateful to learn this information on the Commonwealth war graves and was honoured that they got to see Princess Anne.
Althea Baartman, acting deputy principal at Summerdale High School, said: “This is such a beautiful thing to know about our history as we tend to focus on the negative. We also forget the contribution that other countries have also made in bringing about peace.”
Another Summerdale High Grade 11 pupil, Taasha Thompson, said she wanted to meet the princess in person but was happy to see her nonetheless. “Thank you to our principals for this experience and taking us places.”
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the CWGC’s work to maintain graves at over 23 000 locations in 150 countries plays a critical role in remembering the men and women who sacrificed their lives so we can all be free.
He said if one travels through South Africa, there were many other war memorials honouring the enlisted white servicemen who lost their lives in World War I, but one will not find a memorial for the 1 700 black South Africans who died in non-combatant roles in the war, until now.
He said these were men who served with labour units such as the Cape Coloured labour regiment, Cape auxilliary horse regiment, Cape Military labour bureau and the South Africa military labour corps, and many of them perished in sites throughout South Africa.
“These men have no known graves and there is no memorial or monument where you may read their names. Their stories have not been correctly recorded in our history and without the correct recording their contribution and sacrifice risk fading from memory and not be properly recognised.”
He said with the memorial in the heart of the city, future generations will have access to their names and to their stories and they will be remembered correctly and forever.
Richard Hlope, deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, said the Cape Town Labour Corps Memorial was an opportunity for South Africans to come together, united by the wish to honour those laid to rest and discover their stories represented by the new memorial.
“These men performed tasks probably not glamorous. They performed tasks under dangerous conditions, ensuring that the army is ready for the war. Their names were forgotten by all but their kin. This memory stands as a lasting tribute to those who gave their all in pursuit of peace.”
He said the memorial represents a shared history of sacrifice and the unveiling will ensure that their stories were never forgotten.
We will make sure they are passed on to future generations to show them the sacrifice in pursuit of peace, ensuring they are honoured with dignity and respect. We will remember them.”