Sat Jan 18 10:24:07 UTC 2025: ## Cape Town Unveils Memorial to Honour Forgotten WWI Black South African Labourers
**Cape Town, South Africa** – A new memorial in Cape Town’s Company’s Gardens is set to right a century-old injustice, commemorating 1,772 predominantly Black South African non-combatants who perished during World War I. The memorial, unveiled on January 22nd by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), features individual iroko hardwood posts inscribed with the names and death dates of these laborers.
These men, largely forgotten due to the racial politics of the time, served in support roles in various African theaters of war, often succumbing to disease and malnutrition. Their deaths, unlike those of white South African soldiers, were largely undocumented and unacknowledged until the recent discovery of handwritten casualty records.
The memorial focuses specifically on those who died in Africa, excluding those already commemorated elsewhere. A significant portion of the casualties (over 90%) are attributed to the grueling East African campaign, characterized by harsh conditions and guerilla warfare. The CWGC’s Chief Historian, George Hay, highlighted the long-overdue recognition, stating that the commission is committed to rectifying historical omissions.
The unveiling is a significant step in a broader initiative to remember an estimated 100,000 Black Africans who died fighting alongside Allied forces in World War I. Descendants of the fallen laborers, such as Zweletu Hlakula, great-grandson of ox-driver Job Hlakula, expressed immense pride in the long-overdue recognition of their families’ sacrifices. The memorial’s location, near other national monuments, ensures that these men’s stories are now integrated into South Africa’s national narrative, providing a place for mourning and reflection. The event also featured a poem by South African poet Koleka Putuma, emphasizing the human cost of the war and the enduring significance of remembrance.
First Piper 