Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis joined the Gugulethu community in celebration of a new monument marking three pivotal moments in local struggle history. The Mayor was joined at the unveiling on 18 September by the Gugulethu Memorial Monument Steering Committee and Deputy Mayor Alderman Eddie Andrews.
‘We are glad to celebrate a special part of local heritage together with the Gugulethu Memorial Monument Steering Committee, who drove the proposal for this monument to commemorate pivotal moments in this community’s struggle history. The memorial is a symbol of the history and pride of this place called Gugs, whose name, Gugulethu, literally means “our pride”.
‘While the memorial showcases tangible symbols of local history, it also represents a future of hope, and a people committed to building while honouring the past. May this site become a thriving tourist attraction and community asset,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
The monument – situated prominently at the intersection of Steve Biko Drive and Klipfontein Road – memorialises three historical events:
- The establishment of a Permit Gate in 1960 to control movement under the apartheid-era Group Areas Act
- The gathering of 700 local men to join Phillip Kgosana’s seminal protest march from Langa to Cape Town
- The mother who lost a child in an accidental shooting by soldiers, as commemorated in the famous Ingrid Jonker poem, ‘The child is not dead’
‘The City’s Naming Committee was proud to support this monument proposal by the community steering committee led by Dr Mzwandile Plaatjies. We thank everyone who took part in the public participation for this meaningful memorial site, which will forever remind future generations of this community’s proud history and spirit in the face of adversity,’ said Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews, who chairs the Naming Committee that oversees proposals for new monuments under the City’s Memorialisation Policy.
