Most of us will remember the Port Elizabeth Northern Areas Uprisings that occurred in August 1990 – an event that was baffling to all at the time coming as it was sandwiched between the sweeping reforms that led to the release of Nelson Mandela on 11 February 1990 and the ultimate official repealing of Apartheid laws on 17 June 1991.
At the time it was difficult to pinpoint the actual reason for the sweeping violence which was blamed on a number of ills; a rent boycott, gangsterism and even apartheid.
Funded by the Lotto, the Northern Areas History and Heritage Project (NAHHP) was established to capture, document and archive the 1990 Northern Areas uprising.
The NAHHP define ‘The Problem’ thus; “The ‘Uprisings’ in the Northern Areas in 1990 is an event that has not been documented in its totality. This historical event traumatised the Northern Areas community and has left scars of suffering that has not been addressed to this day. The event has to date not been adequately reviewed and its significance not evaluated and contextualised. Questions that need answers include: what lead to this event? Why did it happen? How did it happen? What were the overall circumstances at the time? How did the political climate influence the event? What was the significance of the rent boycotts? What role did forced removals play in the development of community’s psyche and how did this affect what happened during before and after the event? Who are the people who live in the Northern Areas? What is the Northern Areas? What behaviour and actions lead to the spread of violence, looting, destruction of property and the killing of innocent people?”
So, even the people directly involved in the Northern Areas Riots still need to find the reasons for the uprisings and contextualise the uprising in terms of our history and in the name of reconciliation.
At the time, I recall some of my clients saying with pride that they had deployed machine gun nests, manned by mercenaries to protect their shops from marauding gangs – please note that they SAID – I never saw this with my own eyes. You will notice too that the media descriptions used of the criminal acts perpetrated all refer to the ‘participants’ as looters and gangsters, not protesters.
With all this background you can well understand my disquiet when I received a press release from the Municipality which contained this line; “The 1990 Northern Areas Uprising Working Committee, a structure comprising of family members of this Apartheid atrocity, will be hosting a series of briefing sessions from next week.” (The emphasis is my own).
The release went on to say; “Media are generously requested to publish the dates for the meetings beforehand to assist with informing affected individuals of the initiative” and “The ultimate aim of the sessions is to establish a coordinating structure that will represent the interest of all the affected people.”
The reasons for my concern:
- It appears that the municipality has decided that the Lotto need not have funded the NAHHP as the munipality, in it’s infinite wisdom, has already determined that the Northern Areas uprisings were as a result of Apartheid.
- By asking media to advertise the Municipalities contention that the uprisings were due to apartheid, surely we now create a public perception in affected people’s minds about ‘who to blame’ BEFORE we have even engaged with them?
- No mention of the NAHHP in the release – have they taken the money from Lotto and run or are the political structures of the municipality not ‘comfortable’ with the preliminary findings or direction of the NAHHP?
My concerns aside, the Municipality has arranged briefing sessions and, I PRESUME, that they will be using Lotto funds already set aside for the NAHHP for these sessions and NOT Ratepayer money.
The briefing sessions are as follows:
- Tuesday, 11 October at 17:30 – Gelvandale Community Hall, Banquet Hall. Specifically targeting families of slain and surviving victims of Gelvandale and surrounding areas.
- Wednesday, 12 October at 17:30 – Greenville Primary School, Bloemendal. Specifically targeting families of slain and surviving victims of Bloemendal, Arcadia and surrounding areas.
- Thursday, 13 October at 17:30 – Stepping Stones, Extension 21, Bethelsdorp, Specifically targeting families of slain and surviving victims of Jacksonville, Timothy Valley and surrounding areas.
- Monday, 17 October at 17:30 – Jarman Community Hall, Highfield Road, Schauderville. Specifically targeting families of slain and surviving victims of Korsten, Schauderville and surrounding areas.
- Sunday, 23 October at 14:30 – Chatty Community Hall, Bertram Road, Bloemendal. All families of slain and surviving victims of the 1990 Northern Areas uprising are targeted for this meeting since the launch of a Coordinating Committee and the presentation of a proposed plan of action are envisaged.
See: Northern Areas History and Heritage Project (NAHHP)
Artist Impression of the Proposed Northern Areas Cultural Centre
