Ehlanzeni District Resistance and Liberation Heritage Route launched
A new tourism route, including, among others, a number of sites of significance to the liberation struggle in the Lowveld area, was launched by the MTPA.
This is the third such route in Mpumalanga. Based mainly in Bethal, a similar route was developed for the Gert Sibande District Municipality, as well as one in Nkangala District Municipality.
Both of these regions are in the Highveld, with Nkangala mainly including the erstwhile homeland of KwaNdebele, with its seat in Middelburg.
On the Ehlanzeni route here in the Lowveld, sites include the Mpumalanga Government Complex in Mbombela, with its Signiant Piazza where the statue of Nelson Mandela – controversial due to its proportions as well as likeness – was erected some time ago, and sites related to the Lowveld Massacre at the old KaBokweni Magistrate’s Court and what is called The Hill, at KaNyamazane and the old KaNyamazane Cemetery in Msogwaba.
The Lowveld Massacre was a shooting that occurred on March 11, 1986 at the KaBokweni Magistrate’s Court, when South African security forces opened fire on thousands of young people who had gathered outside the court to protest during the trial of their fellow students.
Others are the Ehlanzeni Cenotaph, which some years ago was in need of serious upkeep and revamping, the Samora Machel Memorial at Mbuzini near Komatipoort, and the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court.
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At a media launch in Mbombela last week, MTPA head of tourism, Xolani Mthethwa, said literature, as well as online information concerning the route, together with GPS readings and some background concerning the historical significance of each site, will be available soon.
Markers and signposts at these sites are also to be followed. The media has not been offered a tour of the route yet.
“It is ironic that a new tourism route is launched in the Lowveld in the same week that domestic and foreign tourists have no entry to the
most iconic sites in the region due to an illegal industrial strike. These include the viewpoints at the Blyde River Canyon and others under
the auspices of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA),” said Duncan Ballantyne, chairperson of Mpumalanga Heritage.
Mpumalanga Heritage is a registered civic organisation for the protection and development of the heritage resources of the province.
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Plans are already under way to inspect this new route and to report back to the public as well as the tourism industry on the value of this new initiative. Under scrutiny will be the maintenance and upkeep of these sites, as well as the accessibility and safety for tourists.
“We at Kruger Lowveld Tourism congratulate the MTPA and are extremely excited about the movement in the heritage-tourism direction,” said Linda Grimbeek, Kruger Lowveld Tourism’s Coo.
“However, we are concerned about the future success of these new routes while we are seemingly unable to protect and maintain the existing core tourism routes, such as the Panorama, Geotrail and Barberton routes and access to the Kruger gates. If we are serious about transformation and development of tourism in our region, much has to be done to ensure safety on all the routes, as well as on presenting the attractions to a world-class standard.”
As it seems that not much has been done yet in terms of the physical development of the route, like signposting and literature, Lowvelder has lodged an enquiry to both the MTPA and the Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation about the costs of this project, as well as a time frame of when this route will be completed.
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