Heritage right on our doorstep

The very first dry run for the Emjindini Heritage Route was done on Friday. Barberton Museum and Astrid Christianson, marketing manager of Barberton Tourism, organised the excursion.

They are also responsible for the launch, research and preparations of the heritage route.

The name of Emjindini was derived from the Mjindini Royal Kraal. The location had a full tribal structure with headmen who were responsible for solving community matters.

New Village was established in 1928. When Spearville was formed in 1946, it was initially called New Sentela (Sentela Lesisha).

The name was changed in 1957 to that of a man called Spear who built houses there.

KaMhola was established in 1965, Long Homes in 1981, White City in 1986, New Clare in 1989, Extension 6 in 1991.

The hostel was established in 1960 and single quarters in 1964.

Different interesting historical areas have been selected as part of the route.

All the areas were visited during the tryout, including:

• The home of Enos Mabuza. He was born in 1939 near Sheba Gold Mine and died

in 1997.

As chief minister of the Bantustan of KaNgwane, Mabuza led a delegation to Lusaka, Zambia in February 1986. He was the first person from a homeland government in South Africa to lead the Inyandza National Movement to meet the banned African National Congress. What’s more, he was a teacher at Emjindini Secondary School.

• Donkey Church is a Methodist Church with 1940s architecture (Sonto’s house).

• The bomb was the home of Inert Sibiya, and was bombed by security forces during apartheid. It is still vacant.

• New Clare buildings were the first 13 houses built by Barberton Municipality to accommodate government officials.

• Roman Catholic Church.

• Ngwane Primary School, originally known as Barberton Bantu Combined School. It was the first secondary school in the Lowveld region.

• Rock meeting place. After 1928 and the establishment of New Village, New Sentela (Spearville) community meetings called by the advisory committee were held on the rock.

• Single quarters. It is unknown when it was built, it was a place for bachelors – women were not allowed to walk nearby.

• Anglican Church. The family of Dunstan Mlambo, the judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, were closely involved in this church – Mlambo grew up in Barberton.

• The beer hall was built by the municipality for entertainment. There were two bars and a cinema which catered for

750 people.

• The hostel. It used to accommodate workers, mainly from homeland areas.

• Spearville architecture. This is an example of houses built in 1946 and the area was named after a former mayor of Barberton.

• African Methodist Episcopal Church.

• A tree where traditional court cases were held. Headmen heard them under this tree.

• The Green House. A Mozambican man called Simon built this house with recycled material.

According to Christianson, they managed to identify the hot spots and they have to market it. “We managed to see what still needs to be done before the launch, and we need funds to get some things done.”