TOPIC:

Dear All,

I am looking for any concentration camp sites across South Africa that are still in existence today, and that may be visited by the public.

Would anybody know if any such sites exist?

JOHN ROOS

Hi John
All the camp sites are long gone, but the graves of the victims are still to be seen though is various degree of decay.
The cemetery in Kroonstad is behind the industrial area;
the memorial at Aliwal North is just outside of town on the south side, enroute to Jamestown.
the memorial at Bethulie is in the open veld and derelict and subject to the elements, going to pot.
There are many more sites, but by visiting the Bloemfontein ABW museum you'll have access to stacks of information.
Hope this is helpful
Evyn

Hi Evyn,

Thanks for this. About 15 to 20 years ago I drove occasionally between Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg via Bloemfontein, and I used to pass two or three signposted Boer War concentration camp signs. I can't remember for the life of me exactly where they were. Alas, I was always in too much of a rush to take the turn-offs and go and explore... maybe they were just derelict memorials, I don't know...

But thanks for your reply. I appreciate it.

JR

The most poignant site of a concentration camp is the farm Doornbult , Hopetown , Nortjern Cape , about two miles off the cape to Kimberley road and about 600 yards from orange river railway station.
The farm is owned by Mrs Rina Wiid and is a living memorial to the British camp and concentration camp .The British based their troops at Orange river station before the adcance to Belmont , graspan, and modder river. The site is as it was in 1899 with bottles, cans, pots and pans still littered all over the camp site.
The concentration camp graveyard contains the remains of many children and is in good order. There is a small museum . About 800 people were held at Doornbult. I visited the site in 1999 and am in contact with Rina.
She welcomes visitors .
Andrew Bermingham

Dear Andrew,

This is fantastic news - just the sort of thing I'm looking for.

I would be very grateful indeed if you could put me in contact with Mrs Rina Wild.

I would be very keen indeed on seeing what she has.

I was on the island of St Helena a good many years ago, and walked amongst the earthen remains (furrows) of the prisoner of war camp there, and also visited the Boer War graves - where I found a number of graves of people shaing my surname. I did have distant family who were deported to St Helena, but I unfortunately don't have their exact details.

My phone number is 082 829 9979 and my email address dr.j.roos@iafrica.com.

If you could let me have Mrs Wild's contact details, I would be enormously grateful to you.

Kind regards,

JOHN ROOS

Hello John ,
Rinas number is 053 203 8105.
Doornbult
Po box 225
Hometown,
Northern Cape 8750
Mention I referred you to her. Her farm is a listed historical site and well known to conservationists and historians. Quite a remarkable place , like stepping back in time.
Try also her email.
narindawiid@gmail.com , I think this is a relative.
Andrew