S Ndebele: Unveiling of King Dinizulu's statue
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Remarks by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sibusiso Ndebele at the

unveiling of King Dinizulu's statue at Umvoti

16 August 2007

Protocol

Programme Directors,

His Majesty the King,

Leader of KwaZulu-Natal House of Traditional Leaders,

MECs present,

District Mayor of Umzinyathi,

Mayor of Umvoti,

Councillors,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen

Introduction

The KwaZulu-Natal government has since its tenure of office prioritised our

heritage in this province as one of the foremost areas of intervention. We have

done this to, among other things, correct the distortions of the past and

highlight the legacies left behind by great heroes and heroines, including the

custodians of our cultural heritage such as past kings.

Today we are gathered here to continue traversing this noble cause by

recognising the legacy of King Dinizulu ka Cetshwayo through the unveiling of

this statue.

The sentencing

It was in this town in 1908 that King Dinizulu was brought before the

colonial courts and sentenced to imprisonment. In 2008, we shall be

commemorating 100 years since that sentencing took place in this town of

Umgungundlovana.

Local Heritage Forums

Our provincial government has called for the establishment of Local Heritage

Forums throughout the province. These forums are intended to identify and

highlight important heritage projects that seek not only to honour our

historical legacies now but also project, right into the future, the value in

holding in high esteem our history and heritage.

At the same we are encouraging and facilitating popular participation in

local heritage renewal. To this end we have started with the process of forming

Local Heritage Forums.

Local Heritage Forums, which are voluntary community-based organisations,

will ensure that heritage development beneficiation filters down to the lowest

and grassroots levels of our society.

The unveiling of this statue is therefore very important in that context. As

provincial government, we applaud the Umvoti Municipality for responding

positively to our call. We call upon other districts and municipalities,

outside of Umgungundlovana, to follow this good example and establish Local

Heritage Forums that will concretise our drive to highlighting our

heritage.

Amafa Heritage Council

We are reconfiguring Amafa Heritage Council, so that its objects, structure

and thrust reflect these aspirations. The development of a Multi-Media Centre

at the eMakhosini valley will see our regional especially Zulu history dating

back centuries, being put on interactive displays using modern technology.

We acknowledge the diverse nature of the heritage discourse, and that it

involves cultural heritage like dance, music, theatre the arts, history, past

heroes, architecture, literature and the totality of man and human inventions

on earth. Heritage also involves natural heritage which includes our natural

heritage sites, rivers and landscapes like the Drakensberg Mountain Range,

Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park and adjacent rivers and vegetation.

Maqhamusela Khanyile

On 11 March 2007 government and Evangelical Lutheran Church stakeholders

assembled at KwaMondi near Eshowe to commemorate 130 years since the death of

one of the earliest Christian Zulu martyrs, Maqhamsela Khanyile. His story is a

story of almost stoic determination to stay the course even when faced by

death.

Bhambatha

It is within the same context that we recognised the legacy of Inkosi

Bhambatha Ka Mancinza during 2006.

Luthuli

It is also within that context that we are this year honouring the legacy of

Inkosi Albert Luthuli, 40 years after his mysterious death.

On 21 July 2007 more than 26 Choirs from all over the province of

KwaZulu-Natal met at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre

in Durban, to commemorate this hero through newly composed choral music.

Luthuli himself was a lover of choral music and a Choirmaster at Adams

College.

It will be within the same context that next year in 2008, we shall be

commemorating the legacy of Inkosi u Dinizulu some 100 years after he was

sentenced in this very town in 1908.

Unveiling King Dinizulu's Statue

As provincial government and as part of the process of honouring King

Dinizulu, we shall be unveiling a bigger statue at the same venue where that of

Louis Botha also stands in Durban.

We think that it is significant that the statues of both King Dinizulu and

General Louis Botha stand side by side. We shall remember that Louis Botha

facilitated the release of King Dinizulu from prison.

The Durban Metro will for its part, re-name a street after King Dinizulu in

his honour.

King Cyprian Commemoration

But next year we shall not only be commemorating the legacy of King

Dinizulu. We shall also be commemorating 40 years of the death of King Cyprian,

the father of the reigning King, Isilo Samabandla. Hlanga Lomhlabathi.

These are the heroes in this province's legacy, who made a difference in the

history of our people and left a legacy to be revered by posterity. As

government and as a people of this great province, we are duty-bound to honour

them in some way.

King Shaka

Also in 2008, we shall be commemorating 170 years after the death of one of

our great Kings, Ilembe eleqa amanyamalembe ngokukhalipha, Inkosi u Shaka ka

Senzangakhona.

Ghandi

Government also commemorated the birth of Mahatma Ghandi's Satyagraha.

Ghandi, a lawyer by training had lived and worked in South Africa during the

Anglo-Boer South African War. His experiences during this war made him to

realise the devastating effects of war. He started Satyagraha as a way to make

peace the object of life, a way of life.

Moses Mabhida

In the same year government repatriated the remains of struggle stalwart

Moses Mabhida from his temporary grave in Mozambique, to his final resting

place in Slangspruit, Pietermaritzburg.

Impi yaseNcome

In 2008, we shall be commemorating 180 years after the 1838 Impi yaseNcome,

where a large number of our fore-bearers sacrificed with their blood to defend

the motherland from invaders. In 1998 the democratic government erected an

inclusive monument reflective of the spirit of reconciliation which dominates

South Africa's public life in the post-apartheid era. Today the Impi YaseNcome

Museum stands as an example of what can be done in developing heritage in a

non-racist, non-sexist inclusive manner.

Rebuilding uMgungundlovu

As here in Umgungundlovana, all these heritage events will be observed

alongside the provincial government's unfolding programme to rebuild

Umgungundlovu ondonga zibomvu - once the royal seat of one of our great kings,

Inkosi u Dingane. We shall be spending millions of rand in this project to

ensure that Umgungundlovu, which is now the capital of this province, is

restored and given its rightful place in our history.

So this government has an unfolding heritage programme that is not dictated

to by expediency, but by a real commitment to honouring the unique legacy that

our heroes and heroines left behind them.

African Renaissance

The government of the province of KwaZulu-Natal has, since 2004 embarked on

the project to renew the heritage of this Province. The Heritage Renewal

programme is also informed by the African Renaissance. We are, therefore,

taking heritage research seriously.

The retrieval of the Timbuktu manuscripts , the declaration of our natural

heritage sites like Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park and the Drakensberg

Ukhahlamba Mountain Range as World Heritage Sites are all indicators of the

direction in which the country's and the Province's approach to Heritage

renewal is going.

Ingcucge

We have also commemorated the role played by Izintombi ZeNgcugce in

determining their right to choose their lovers, and to make choices in

life.

As the provincial government we will continue to acknowledge the heroes in

our history, particularly during the month in which we also honour our women.

We shall continue to chart the path of an all-inclusive programme of

heritage.

Masisukume Sakhe i KwaZulu-Natal!

I thank you