The South African
On 17 August 2024, the author delivered the annual Ken Gillings Memorial Lecture at a joint meeting of the South African National Society and the South African Military History Society in Durban.
At the invitation of the Editor, Prof Wessels has provided a summary of his lecture in the form of an article.
INTRODUCTION
In times of Sturm und Drang, in times of change and transformation, in times when many people fear and lose hope, it is of great importance that we ensure the future of our past, including the shared and common past of all South Africans of all cultural groups. This includes our social history, economic history, political history, cultural history, the history of religions and churches, and our military history. Many organizations play a role in the above-mentioned regard, including the South African National Society and the South African Military History Society, and both societies are thanked for their continued dedicated endeavours to disseminate knowledge and insights with regard to all aspects of South Africa's fascinating history and culture.
Those of us who knew Ken Gillings, will agree that it is difficult to put in words the appreciation one has for everything that he did to promote history in general, and military history in particular. And then there was also his work with regard to heritage matters in general, including the efforts to preserve structures and places of historical importance. We shall always miss, but also remember, his enthusiasm, his knowledge, his insights. His untimely passing on 9 December 2016 left a vacuum that could not easily be filled. We honour his memory, his work and his legacy. We can and should endeavour, as best we can, to build on the invaluable work he did.
It is difficult to believe that it is a quarter of a century since the Anglo- Boer War centenary took place from 1999 to 2002. Since the centennial, much has happened in our country; and in the world at large. The 120th anniversary of the Anglo-Boer War should have been used as an opportunity to develop renewed interest in this conflict, but the Covid pandemic put paid to most of (the little) that was planned in that regard. Now it is five years later.
It is fit and proper that there is a commemoration of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902. It is, after all, not possible to understand the history of twentieth-century South Africa, if one does not have an understanding of the consequences that the war of 1899 to 1902 had for all South Africans. But how should a terrible conflict like the Anglo-Boer War be commemorated?
It is indeed also time to, once again, take stock of the impact that the most devastating conflict that has thus far raged in what is today South Africa, had on all the people in this region. Also, in the light of everything that has been written since the start of the war’s centennial in 1999, we should re-imagine the Anglo-Boer War, and as far as possible provide new perspectives (or re-emphasize some of the older perspectives) with an eye on the road ahead.
At 5 o’clock on the afternoon of 11 October 1899, the Anglo-Boer War broke out. In the just more than two and a half years that followed on the outbreak of hostilities, at least 7 792 British soldiers had been killed according to official figures, or had succumbed to wounds sustained in battle, while 14 658 had died of disease or in accidents. Furthermore, 75 430 British soldiers were sent home either ill or wounded. It is not clear how many black and brown people, who had served on the British side, were killed or wounded. At least 3 990 Boers and comrades (for example Cape and Natal rebels, and foreign volunteers) were killed on the battlefield; some 157 died in accidents, while those who died on commando owing to disease or wounds sustained in battle, numbered 924. A further 1 118 died as prisoners of war. It is not clear exactly how many Boers and comrades were wounded. As far as the civilian population was concerned, at least 27 927 white people - mostly women and children - died in the internment camps, as well as at least 23 000 (but probably many more) black people; once again, mostly women and children. There is a possibility that more black than white people died in the camps. The term "internment camps" is used and not "concentration camps", because it has to be clearly understood that there is no comparison between the British Army’s camps for black and white civilians in the Anglo-Boer War, and the Nazi concentration/ extermination camps in theSecond World War.
“TO COMMEMORATE OR
NOT TO COMMEMORATE”,
THAT IS THE QUESTION
In this day and age, the question is: Is it fit and proper to commemorate military events? After all, what is the prize of victory? The prize is often merely a battlefield strewn with the remains of dead human beings; of friend and foe. What a prize! And what a price to pay for so-called heroism and glory. Also keep in mind that war usually does not determine who is right, but merely determines who survives.
Although it is appreciated that there are people who regard the commemoration of conflicts as controversial and highly problematic, one cannot understand history in general without knowledge and insight with regard to how conflicts contribute towards historical developments - for better or worse. Fact of the matter is that military history is studied by hundreds of thousands of people across the globe and is appreciated by many millions. And across the globe there are also hundreds of military museums. These museums are important tourist attractions; but also centres of research, and they publish many books. They are often also the focus points of commemorations; and from time to time have special exhibitions that commemorate a particular war or event.
It is problematic (yet understandable) when hero myths (and other myths) are created during and in the wake of a conflict. It is unfortunately so that the victors often write the history and determine whose praises will be sung and who will be demonized. Nevertheless, it is proper to commemorate the outbreak of a bloody war, events that took place in the course of the conflict, and also the conclusion of peace. But it is also important that commemorations should take place in the correct spirit; for example, not to re-fight the battles of the past, not to open up old wounds, not to ostracize or vilify "the enemy" (i.e. the "other side", depending on one’s perspective), not to hero-worship; but rather to use the opportunity to reflect, to take stock of one’s own (but also, in the South African context, one’s shared) history. Thus, commemorations must be inclusive.
PAST ANGLO-BOER WAR
COMMEMORATIONS
The 75th anniversary of the war was a low-key event,(2) but in the period October 1999 to June 2002 there were more than a hundred centennial events all over South Africa. This centennial took place in the context of the so-called "new" South Africa; indeed, it was the first major heritage event to take place after the political changes of 1994. It took place in a South Africa with a more open and inclusive society.
From 1999 to 2002, the majority of the non-governmental events were coordinated by a national committee which was formed as early as 1994, and was called the Central Steering Committee for the Commemoration of the Anglo-Boer War. Its chairperson was the then Director of the War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein, Colonel Frik Jacobs. Each of the nine provinces had a representative on the Committee, with KwaZulu-Natal being represented by Ken Gillings.
In 1996, the question of whether to get involved in the commemoration or not was discussed by the ANC government. As from November 1998, the commemoration was adopted as a legacy project by the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology. Government involvement in commemorations usually leads to controversies, as indeed happened in 1999 to 2002; but a positive result was that, thanks to the concomitant media coverage, more people took note of the event.
The goals of the centennial, which can also be applied to the 125th anniversary and forthcoming anniversaries, included the following:
* To honour those who died on all sides.
* To increase interest and knowledge about the war and its consequences among the general public, and make people aware of the importance of history.
* To promote a positive image of South Africa, and thus to promote tourism from overseas, as well as from within South Africa - which would then boost employment and economic growth.
* To preserve and upgrade historic sites and monuments.
* To promote reconciliation and nation building.
There were many events during the Anglo-Boer War centennial, but space limitations only allow references to a few of them.(3) There was a wide range of different events associated with the commemoration of the Anglo-BoerWar. Some examples are: exhibitions, re-enactments of battles, wreath-laying ceremonies, parades, festivals, concerts, plays, church services, lectures, dance performances, sports meetings, unveiling of monuments, guided tours of war sites, and conferences.
The commemoration began with the opening of a new exhibition at the War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein on 8 October 1999, where the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Tourism, Dr Ben Ngubane, delivered the opening address. The official launch of the commemoration was staged in and outside the Free State town of Brandfort, now named after Winnie Mandela, on 9 October 1999, 100 years after the Boer ultimatum was issued. The function consisted of wreath-laying ceremonies at Boer, Commonwealth, and recently found and upgraded black graves. President Thabo Mbeki attended, as well as the Duke of Kent, and a number of members of the national government, and of provincial and local councils.
In Durban the main commemorative events took place from 16 to 19 October 1999, with Ken Gillings playing an important role in organizing the events. A photographic, military and philatelic exhibition was open for the public on several days. Furthermore, the Anglo-Boer War Memorial was rededicated with a solemn ceremony on 17 October 1999. Later that same day, there was a rededication of the British military cemetery, and a plaque with the soldiers' names was unveiled. In the afternoon there were ceremonies at two internment camp sites, namely at Merebank and at Jacobs. On 18 October 1999, a replica of a naval gun was unveiled in central Durban in an area near the Workshop Mall. Another event was when a speech delivered by Winston Churchill was re-enacted by his granddaughter on 19 October 1999. In the evening there was a concert in the Durban City Hall where traditional English, Afrikaans, Indian and Zulu songs and dances were presented.
There were many events during the Freedom Festival that was held in Ladysmith to commemorate the war. There were, for instance, several plays, including Dear Mrs Steyn, with Wilna Snyman in the leading role, dealing with the internment camps. A re-enactment of the siege of Ladysmith was performed; there was a military parade, and at a concert, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the Drakensberg Boys. Choir and the South African Navy Band performed a variety of African and European songs. There was also a Gandhi festival in Ladysmith, with a Gandhi peace walk.
Across South Africa, specific battles and incidents were also commemorated, often exactly 100 years after they took place. This included well- known battles such as Talana, Magersfontein, Colenso, Spioenkop, Paardeberg and Sannaspos, but also less well-known historical events. Furthermore, there were ceremonies at several internment camp sites, and a great number of war-related sites were upgraded. There were also many guided tours, and several museums had special exhibitions about the war. It is clear that most of the centennial objectives were indeed achieved.
Commemorations are often relatively insignificant events, but in some instances they can have far-reaching consequences for a society, for example, by creating enhanced feelings of nationalism. But commemorations can also divide a society, for example, when certain groups are excluded, or when politicians misuse events to score political points. Ideally, however, commemorations should be a source of learning about, and creating an interest in the past.
Everything considered, the Anglo- Boer War centennial of 1999 to 2002 was - thanks to the work that was done by people such as Ken Gillings - a successful series of events. It was indeed inclusive of all cultural groups; it was well-organized; it received a lot of publicity; and many new books and articles were published on various aspects of the war, including topics that had . at least to some extent . been neglected in the past; for example, black participation, and the effect the war had on black civilians. Since 2002, South Africa has unfortunately experienced many problems. But this should not be an excuse not to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the war; as a matter of fact, we need positive action, and positive experiences.
THE TRANSGENERATIONAL TRAUMA THAT STILL HAUNTS US
To understand why it is important to revisit the past and thus also to commemorate a war such as the Anglo-Boer War, we must understand the impact that this war had on the history of South Africa. The Anglo-Boer War was the 226th of 230 wars, campaigns and punitive expeditions in which the British Army took part in the 64 years of Queen Victoria’s reign from1837 to 1901.(4) Although both sides saw the Anglo-Boer War as a "gentleman’s war", as well as a white man’s war, the conflict was from the start neither the one nor the other. This bitter conflict may be regarded as the first liberation struggle of the twentieth century, with the Afrikaners being the first African freedom fighters. Thus far, it is the most extensive and destructive war that has been fought in Southern Africa. The military conflict between the world’s only superpower on the cusp of the twentieth century (i.e. the British Empire) and two small Afrikaner/Boer republics (i.e. the Zuid- Afrikaansche Republiek/ Transvaal and the Oranje-Vrijstaat/Orange Free State) wreaked havoc on the civilian population in the war zone and caused trans-generational trauma. The war soon degenerated into a conflict that - at least to some extent - displayed the characteristics of both a civil war and a total war, affecting the lives of all the inhabitants (i.e. white, black, brown and Asian) in the region.(5)
To the enquiring and critical mind, it is clear that the history of the Anglo- Boer War (like the rest of the history of South Africa, and all history) is not simplistic. There are seldom clear-cut good people and bad people. To understand military, political, social and even economic developments, one often has to study the wars and other forms of conflict that have shaped our societies.(6) Unfortunately, many South Africans suffer from historical amnesia: i.e. they do not know who they are, where they come from, where exactly they are (historically speaking) today, or where they are heading. There are also many traumatised people around us - people either traumatised by events of the past (for example, the humiliation and hardships they suffered under apartheid), or by recent events, such as crime or racial incidents. One meets people who yearn for the so-called "good old days" of the past, and others who want to re-fight the battles of the past, including those between the British and the Afrikaners/Boers of long ago.(7)
Notwithstanding a Truth and Reconciliation Commission,(8) reconciliation is still a problem in South Africa. Why all the bitterness, the hostility, the unresolved trauma? In an effort to understand these challenges, it is imperative that one should understand the history of twentieth-century South Africa. The root causes of the above-mentioned problems go back at least to the Anglo-Boer War - a war that set in motion a train of events which, in due course, had profound implications for inter-group relations in South Africa. It goes without saying, that the above-mentioned questions, as well as an understanding of the historical context of the challenges South Africans are facing today, are of paramount importance if we are to find truth, reconciliation and healing. In this regard, the 125th anniversary of the Anglo-Boer War affords us the opportunity to take stock of who we are, where we come from, and where we are heading, and then by inculcating all our people with a sense of belonging; by explaining how and why we share the same past, the same history - and, ideally, must also share much of our heritage. Let us get people (especially young people) off the streets and into museums and libraries. But then they must understand the value of our historical sites and of our museums, and of books - real books (not merely words on screens). And we must not allow Artificial Intelligence to think and decide for us.
SAVE OUR PAST, PRESERVE OUR PAST
For historically mature people, it goes without saying that our statues, monuments, historical buildings, and sites of historical importance must be preserved; that our museums must be properly funded, and the artefacts kept by them must be preserved for the broader public to view, to value and to enjoy. Unfortunately, since 2016, several of the country’s statues have been vandalized or removed. For many years, many old historic buildings have been neglected, vandalized, and in some instances destroyed. In the light of security concerns, it is these days not even possible to visit some of our historical sites, including certain battlefields. This situation has negative implications for commemorative events, but also has grave negative consequences for the development of our tourism industry. In a country which - in terms of its natural beauty - is indeed a world in one country, and with so many cultural groups calling this "home", there is - stating the obvious - vast tourism potential. In the light of serious economic challenges, tourism has the potential to create many more employment opportunities and can lead to the development of many towns and villages. However, nothing will change as long as there are people who do not really understand and appreciate the value of our shared historical heritage, including our military heritage.
You can move a statue from one place to another (albeit that ideally statues should stay in the physical historical context where they were originally erected and unveiled); you can even move a museum to a safer site (as has happened with the Paardeberg museum; once again not ideal, but necessary under the circumstances); but you cannot move a battlefield, or a whole internment camp site, or large fortifications. And you cannot place everything on a screen. People (starting with young children) should be taught to appreciate historical artefacts and places of historical interest and value, in real life; not merely onvarious screens.
CONCLUDING PERSPECTIVES
Together with the Great Trek of the 1830s, the Anglo-Boer War is the most epoch-making event in the history of the Afrikaner; and for many decades these events played a major role in the development of Afrikaner nationalism. A younger generation of present-day white people find it easier to associate with the so-called "Border War" (which strictly speaking forms part of the much broader War for Southern Africa of 1961 to 2002), and there is a huge outpouring of books in that regard, while most black people associate with the Liberation Struggle, i.e. the struggle against apartheid. But we cannot afford to lose sight of the importance of the Anglo-Boer War in shaping our society - and the 125th anniversary of the war affords us all an opportunity to revisit (or discover) that conflict.
Traumatic memories with regard to the Anglo-Boer War (and other events) should be used to bind people together across cultural, racial, political and other beliefs. It should be kept in mind that all South Africans share a common past, including the history of traumatic events such as the Anglo-BoerWar. This war is indeed an integral part of all South Africans’ colonial past, and it is as such that it should be commemorated by all South Africans. It is up to present-day South Africans to prove that it is possible for the negative consequences of the memory of trauma experienced collectively, to end. After all, History enables one to forgive, without the need to forget.(9) It is hoped that it will be in this spirit that the 125th anniversary of the Anglo-Boer War will take place. Our country and its people(s) are indeed in need of healing.
The Anglo-Boer War, just as all other wars, should be commemorated, lest we forget - lest we forget. But then homage must be paid to all who died; victims on all sides of the conflict must be remembered, independent of who was (so-called) right or wrong when the war took place. Hopefully, the 125th anniversary will get the necessary publicity so that the message with regard to the significance of the conflict of 1899 to 1902 will filter through to a large portion of our South African population. After all, through the commemoration of this war, there is a unique opportunity to ensure the future of our shared past; and that shared past, without any doubt, includes the history of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902.
SOURCES
Anon. (1998). Truth and Reconciliation of South Africa Report. Cape Town: Juta.
Benneyworth, G. (2023). Work or Starve: Black Concentration Camps and Forced Labour in South Africa, 1901-1902. Bloemfontein: War Museum of the Boer Republics.
Evaldsson, A-K. (2001). The Commemoration of the Great Trek and the Anglo-Boer War. B.A. Honours dissertation, University of the Free State.
Evaldsson, A-K. and A. Wessels. (2002). The Anglo-Boer War Centennial: A Critical Evaluation, Journal for Contemporary History vol. 27, no 3, 125-144.
Farwell, B. (1972). Queen Victoria’s Little Wars. London: Harper & Row.
Kessler, S. (2012). The Black Concentration
Camps of the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902.
Bloemfontein: War Museum of the Boer Republics.
Pretorius, F. (ed.). (2001). Scorched Earth. Cape Town: Tafelberg.
Wessels, A. (2011). The Anglo-Boer War: White Man’s War, Black Man’s War, Traumatic War. Bloemfontein: Sun Media.
Wessels, A. (2016). The Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)
and its Traumatic Consequences.
In: P. Gobodo-Madikizela (ed.),
Breaking Intergenerational Cycles of Repetition: A Global Dialogue
on Historical Trauma and Memory. Opladen, Berlin and Toronto:
Barbara Budrich Publishers.
NOTES
1 See, for example, Pretorius (ed.), 2001, Wessels 2011, Kessler
2012 and Benneyworth 2023.
2 André Wessels Private Document Collection, Bloemfontein: Herdenking
van die uitbreek van die Anglo-Boereoorlog vyf-en-sewentigjaar gelede (programme).
3 For more details, see Evaldsson 2001 and Evaldsson and Wessels
2002.
4 Farwell 1972, 364-371.
5 Wessels 2016, 161.
6 Ibid, 160.
7 Ibid, 161.
8 See, for example, Anon 1998.
9 Wessels 2016, 172.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For 34 years, André Wessels was a full-time staff member in the Department of History at the University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein. After retiring as a Senior Professor at the end of 2021, he continues his association with the UFS as a Research Fellow.
His main research focus is on twentieth-century South African military history, in particular the Anglo-Boer War and the South African National Defence Force (and its predecessors), in particular the South African Navy. He is the author of several books, many academic articles, as well as other publications.
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