Seven sites in KwaZulu-Natal have been declared Provincial Heritage Landmarks.
The Himeville Magistrate’s Residency, Nhlangakazi Holy Mountain, Ekuphakameni Village, Ebuhleni Village all in Inanda, Aloe Creek, near Ladysmith, the Mandela Capture Site, outside Howick, and the old Inanda Surgery and Post Office may not be altered or interfered with without KwaZulu-Natal heritage council Amafa’s permission.
Amafa spokesman, Barry Marshall, said the sites were proclaimed after presentations were made to the council.
While the move will not affect the annual Shembe pilgrimage to the mountain, Marshall said Shembe followers would need to request permission if they wanted to alter any structures on the sites.
“Certain sites and structures need to be protected and that’s exactly what Amafa is aiming to achieve with this development,” he said.
Marshall said the Himeville Magistrate’s Residency, built during 1902-1903, was already protected and that this was an extension to the grounds. It was declared a National Monument in 1991.
The site is renowned for its eucalyptus trees, the summer home to Amur falcons (formerly known as the Eastern and Western European Red-Footed Kestrel) that migrate in their thousands each year from Siberia, Mongolia and Northern China, to roost in the trees.
“This migratory route is the longest-known route of any bird species in the world.
“The extended Heritage Landmark status is intended to preserve the residency within its setting plus protect the roosts of the migratory falcons,” he said.
Marshall said the Nhlangakazi Holy Mountain contains historic and contemporary Shembe church buildings.
It is the burial site of the church’s founding leaders and it is where the church’s “holy vessels” are stored.
Pilgrimages
The Ebuhleni Village, which is the headquarters of the largest section of the Shembe Church is used for annual pilgrimages and sacred dance, where up to a million followers gather.
The Aloe Creek site, said Marshall, is significant for its role in the Siege of Ladysmith and its association with individuals involved in the Anglo Boer War.
He said the old Inanda Surgery and Post Office buildings are on one of the oldest stations of the American Board Zulu Mission and represent the introduction of modern medicine and technology to an isolated rural population.
“The Mandela Capture Site, is where, on August 5, 1962, Nelson Mandela was arrested while working in the liberation struggle, which led to his lengthy imprisonment on Robben Island,” said Marshall, adding that the site has a memorial to the capture event.