"To achieve development through addressing the needs of individuals within the economic parameters of a market economy, resulting in an improvement in their quality of life, economically, physically and socially".
 
 

DIMBAZA WALL OF FAME AND GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE

 

The Dimbaza project has established a Wall of Fame, a Garden of Remembrance

Key stakeholders were: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), Buffalo City Municipality (BCM); Dimbaza and surrounding communities; King Sandile Development Trust; House of Traditional Leaders; Amathole District Municipality and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture Eastern Cape. 

Five key deliverables identified to substantiate the project aims were: Environmental rehabilitation; Infrastructure development; Develop skills in tourism; Community facilitation and Training.

Community participation was invited for establishing the WALL OF FAME and GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE to raise awareness through education, research and preservation of the historical conflicts and struggles on the regional, ideological, and political confrontations between/amongst indigenous peoples, migrants and settlers, from the end of Dutch dominance in the Cape to the beginning of the present democratic era. A WALL OF FAME and a GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE, owned and managed by the community and BCM, was established as sites to remember the dead and celebrate the living.  

Creative local forms of expression resulted in the Wall of Fame being located near Dimbaza Cemetery to honour the men, women and children who were killed and who played a prominent role in the historical regional conflict, events and activities.

82% of the planned budget was to benefit the listed communities: 60% Women; 20% Youth; a minimum of 330 workers were employed (67,384 person days); 20 Learnerships completed & 6,000 person days training was done. 

SPF:

· Established a Project Advisory Committee for the project on which the provincial and local government departments were represented as well as representatives of the immediate community. 

· Identified tourism sites where alien vegetation removal was done.

· Appointed labour in conjunction with the project steering committee.

· Identified sites in conjunction with the Project Steering Committee where 500 trees were planted and the environment was cleaned up.

· Conducted conceptual research.

· Researched and Project Managed the design & construction of a Wall of Fame; a Garden of Remembrance and several Heritage sites (Baileys Grave, Baileys Monument, Pirie Mission, Amalinde Battlefield, Chief Maqoma’s Grave and Chief Sandile’s Cave).

· Restored Production Units, Trained 5 Crafters in “Craft Making and Craft Selling” and formed a cooperative.

· Established & Appointed a research team [Team Members = Professor Minkley (Fort Hare University), Professor Peires (DEAET), Professor Mtusi (Dimbaza) and Mrs Victor (Amathole Museum)].

· Trained the labourers in: Herbicide Applicator Course; First Aid Training; Tree Planting Skills; Public Area Cleaning; Craft “Make Skills Program”; Craft “Sell Skills Program”.

· Employed 20 learners for 12 months for Learnerships in Tourism:  National Certificate Conservation (NQF 2) & National Certificate in Tourism - Event Support (NQF Level 4) SAQA ID.

This project has cleaned up and rehabilitated Dimbaza and other tourism sites, created a pride and sense of history for Dimbaza residents, built a tourism facility (Garden of Remembrance & Wall of Fame) created jobs and provided funding and support from BCM to improve and maintain the facility.