Concerns for the preservation of maritime history
Maritime history vandalised
SOUTH AFRICA: Despite proactively engaging with the City of Cape Town (COCT) to relocate the South African Training Ship General Botha cenotaph from the city centre to a safer location in Simon’s Town, the SATS General Botha Old Boy’s Association’s (GBOBA) concerns for the security of the structure were realised this month when the three bronze plaques were stolen.
According to Captain Anthony Nicholas, the Association reached out with a proposal in March this year to move the cenotaph after it became a target of constant graffiti. They also raised concerns that the plaques were at risk due to the value of such metals when sold in the scrap market.
“The area has become a haven for vagrants,” says Capt Nicholas explaining why it is no longer frequented by the public and tourists. “It has become unsightly and a hazardous mess that includes drug paraphernalia and human faeces,” he adds describing the area at the corner of Heerengracht and Hertzog Boulevard where the cenotaph was moved in the late 1980’s.
Despite having a proposal on the table that would not cost the COCT a cent, no official approval to begin the relocation has been received and now the structure is missing its three plaques.
Although two of the heavy plaques were recovered, they are too damaged to be returned to the memorial. The third plaque is still missing and at 1,430 x 900 x 50 mm is certainly not easy to handle or hide.
Serving in Simon’s Town
The consideration to move the monument to Simon’s Town makes sense as each of the ex-cadets honoured on the plaques trained in the original SATS General Botha training vessel that was moored off Simon’s Town Jetty. The GBOBA’s proposal sought to relocate the structure to Jubilee Square.
“We consider this to be a fitting tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of South Africa,” comments Capt Nicholas who adds that the square is well managed, clean and safe. In addition, numerous visitors interested in the country’s maritime heritage visit the naval town.
The training ship also has an exhibit in the nearby South African Naval Museum, thus further enhancing the tourist's experience.
The history behind the structure
The cenotaph commemorates the sacrifice made by 83 ex cadets of the South African Training Ship General Botha in the Second World War. It is these names that are honoured on the three plaques.
The surplus naval cruiser was donated by philanthropist TBF Davis to serve as a merchant navy training ship in 1921 and was commissioned the following year.
With the outbreak of WWII a number of her cadets were immediately drafted into naval service. In addition, many more of her past cadet trainees were already serving, and continued to join on graduation from the training ship, not only at sea, but in all branches of the military including the fourth service, the merchant navy.
The ship was moored in Simon’s Bay off the Simon’s Town jetty until after World War 2 (WWII) when she was deemed unserviceable due to wartime neglect. In total some 3,000 cadets trained in the SATS General Botha from 1922 to 1987.
Sadly the GBOBA will now have to reconstruct this memorial – and perhaps this should be seen as an opportune time to simply relocate the cenotaph at Jubilee Square instead of at its current location in the CBD.
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