Vaaltek Museum
The Vaal Teknorama Museum offers the following services:
Guided tours to local Heritage sites. The most popular include:
Sharpeville Memorial
The Sharpeville Memorial and precinct was opened on 21 March 2002 by Nelson
Mandela. The memorial honours those who lost their lives in the Sharpeville
Massacre on 21 March 1960.
To honour those lives lost during the Sharpeville shooting and to all those
who died for the liberation of South Africa, the Sharpeville Memorial was
opened on 21 March 2002, a day now known as Human Rights Day. It is located
in Seeiso Street in Sharpeville, opposite the police station where the shootings
took place.
The Sharpeville Exhibition Centre promises to communicate the tragic incident
to visitors. The opening of the centre is planned for 21 March 2005. It is
situated next to the monument.
Peace Monument
Various symbolic elements tell the story of the suppression, fighting spirit
and pride of a nation. The monument was erected in memory of the Anglo-Boer
War. The words “wounded but not defeated” are an indication
of the will of the Boer people, to rise again despite having to submit
to British forces. A strong steel figure rises out of the defeated Boer
soldier, which symbolises the unity and self-determination of the Boer
nation. The wreath at the foot of the monument pays tribute to the Boers
who fell in battle. The crossed guns, empty bandoleer and hat are a sign
of peace and the end of a struggle. The monument, designed by Coert Steynberg,
was unveiled on 10 October 1961, by the then Prime Minister, Dr HF Verwoerd.
Constitution Square
With the Signing of the New Constitution on 10 December 1996 in Sharpeville,
Former-President Nelson Mandela formally opened the former “Market
Square” to “Constitution Square”. A plaque was unveiled
during this momentous occasion.
Peace Negotiation Site
Sammy Marks, a clever businessman and diplomat, offered a site so Boer and
Brit could negotiate peace to end the Anglo-Boer War. From 15-30 May 1902
negotiations took place in the “Tent der Samekoms” (meeting tent).
The Boer Republic eventually yielded to the struggle, and of the sixty representatives,
fifty-four voted in favour of peace and six against. The peace agreement
was signed by both Boer and Brit in Melrose House on 31 May 1902. Former
President FW de Klerk unveiled a memorial plaque in 1992 to honour this historical
event.
Witkop Blockhouse
The Witkop blockhouse is situated on the R59, near the Engen garage (traveling south from Johannesburg). It is one of only fifty blockhouses left in the country and was declared a National Monument in 1948.
Maccauvlei Garden of Memorial
Cast-iron headstone with the names of the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand
soldiers who died in the Meyerton/Vereeniging area during the Anglo-Boer
War can be seen at the Maccauvlei golf course.
Evaton
Various sites in the township of Evaton are highlighted. Evaton is one of the oldest townships in Gauteng as it was established in 1904.
Educational lessons include:
Sharpeville to the Constitution play (explains the removal of residents
from Top Location in Vereeniging to Sharpeville, the Pass Laws, the Sharpeville
Massacre in 1960 and the signing of the Constitution in Sharpeville in 1996)
Coal – the formation of coal, the discovery of coal in the area and
the establishment of the industries in the Vaal.
Archaeology
Fossils
National symbols of South Africa
Bushmen/San
Utensils – utensils used by Voortrekkers and Blacks
Transport
Lessons are offered in English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Sotho
Bookings: Anina van Wyk or Sipho Khumalo 016-455-5875/016-422-9083
The museum houses the following exhibition halls:
TEMPORARY EXHIBITION HALL (called the Sharpeville Hall)
Anglo-Boer War/South African War
The War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein has donated prints of original photographs used in a book “Suffering of War. A photographic portrayal of the suffering in the Anglo-Boer War” by Louis Changuin, Frik Jacobs and Paul Alberts, published in 2003. The Vaal Teknorama Museum is honoured to be the only host of the collection in Gauteng.
A selection of the prints is on exhibition.
Sharpeville Remembered Exhibition
The Sharpeville Remembered Commemorative Portfolio was initiated in 2001. 22 artists from the Vaal Triangle and Johannesburg were invited to produce an edition of 55 prints, which illustrate their responses to the Sharpeville Massacre. The artists worked in collaboration with the printmaking division of the Department of Visual Arts and Design at the Vaal University of Technology and the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg...
The portfolio was coordinated by Rodney Hopley (project leader), Avri Sooful from the Vaal University of Technology and Osiah Masekoameng and Nhanhla Xaba from the Artist Proof Press.
The prints are exhibited at the Vaal Teknorama Museum.
Sharpeville to the Constitution Exhibition
An exhibition initiated by the Vaal Teknorama and erected by the Gauteng Provincial Government: Museum Services in 1996 to commemorate the Signing of the Constitution of South Africa at Sharpeville by President Nelson Mandela.
The exhibition tells the story of the Sharpeville Massacre (21 March 1960) and the reason why Sharpeville was chosen as the venue for the Signing of the New Constitution. It recognizes the sacrifices made for human equality and pays tribute to the 69 victims who were killed and the 180 survivors (on 21 March 1960 when police opened fire on a group of demonstrators)
PERMANENT EXHIBITION HALLS
A strong, unique and passionate heritage is evident in the cultural identity of the Sedibeng district’s colourful community. The district was born in 2000 to progressively transform leadership and to incorporate the main centres of Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Meyerton and Heidelberg.
Exploring and portraying a cultural heritage as diverse as Sedibeng’s can only be described as exciting. The Vaal Teknorama Museum in Vereeniging is the proud custodian of its legacy and perseveres to ensure its preservation.
3.1. HERITAGE EXHIBITION HALL
Purpose of the exhibition:
The Sedibeng Heritage Exhibition was designed to rouse curiosity amongst visitors concerning the much celebrated natural, cultural and modern history of the area, as well as the impact natural processes and social conflict, change and development have had in the moulding of our diverse community.
Themes:
Geology & Palaeontology
The region was established due to the discovery of vast coalfields that were formed during the carboniferous period approximately 250 million years ago. The area became an internationally recognised research site when rare and well-preserved examples of plant fossil artefacts were exposed.
Stone Age
Fantastic evidence of the region’s first industry is apparent in the collection of tools manufactured by hominids during the Early, Middle and Late Stone Ages that were first uncovered in the 1920’s. Many of the tools were manufactured from quartz.
Rock Art
Sedibeng boasts two rock art sites which are both unique and significant. The indigenous artists’ petroglyphs (engravings) are between 500 and 100 years old and represent geometric outlines and a few representations of animals.
Iron Age
Many artefacts and stone ruins are evident that confirm the existence of Iron Age farmers who settled in most parts of the district.
Pioneers
The strong character of our community may be credited to a few determined individuals who led the way to the establishment of the district in the 1800’s. We owe our gratitude to these exceptional men for their courage and fortitude.
Mining
Coal mining was the most important commercial enterprise that attracted many migrant labourers to settle in the area. Coal was discovered along the banks of the Vaal River and, for the first time, South Africa was able to produce large amounts of inexpensive fuel.
Industries
Once the “Industrial Giant” of South Africa, Sedibeng was seen as the forerunner of the country’s industrial revolution due to the abundance of water, land and minerals. The industrial growth saw an influx of skilled and unskilled labour, and this ensured an increase in many immigrants settling in the region. Today, the area is still very culturally diverse.
Local & International Armed Conflict
From the First Boer War of Independence, the Anglo-Boer War and both the World Wars, the social development of the district has been affected by armed conflict on native soil and elsewhere. Vereeniging prides itself with one of the most historically significant sites in the country as the peace negotiations that took place to ultimately end the Anglo-Boer took place in the area.
Liberation Struggle
The resistance against apartheid began a new phase with the introduction of the armed struggle which began on a national level after the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960. The area bore witness to many violent incidents after the shootings in Sharpeville and a strong leadership was present in our local townships. The Signing of the New Constitution of South Africa took place, once again, in Sharpeville to honour our victims of apartheid.
3.2 Local Leaders’ Exhibition
Purpose of the exhibition:
The Local Leaders’ Exhibition was an initiative that began in 2001 to document the life history of individuals who have assisted economic development, social upliftment and political transformation in the Sedibeng district. The primary research sources have led to the results used for the first phase of the exhibition.
First Phase
The completed first phase of the exhibition houses political leaders and former activists who serve, or who have served, in local authorities. Vereeniging’s first Mayor, first woman Mayor, former Mayors during the transformation process, Executive Committee Members, current Mayors and Speakers, as well as former Presidents FW de Klerk and Nelson Mandela are included.
Second Phase
The second phase promises to showcase former activists who led the liberation struggle in the region as well as community leaders (in sports, arts and culture, religion, education and business).
The Local Leaders’ Museum is an ongoing project.
For further information, please contact Jacqui Kitching 016-450-3182 jacquek@sedibeng.gov.za
The museum is located in 1 Beethoven Street, Duncanville, Vereeniging
Contact number: 016-450-3031