15/05/2025
I need some help, especially from those on the Cape Flats.
I see and feel the plight of the Coloured communities, claiming and experiencing exclusion from National government. I once also believed this and became despondent, believing that's how it is and I will have to accept. I started thinking differently, which is my wish for everyone.
For clarity, the term Black is still widely used by Europeans. In South African context, it includes coloured and Indian.
I attended the Commonwealth War Graves in the Company Gardens and found that no coloured families came forward. There is a beautiful memorial in the company gardens to commemorate these fallen soldiers, something never done for the Black(including coloured, Indian) role players in this War.
My request is that, if there is anyone who has any memorabilia or items(photos, documents, etc) that can prove that your ancestors were involved in WW1, please inbox me. Even if you have stories from your grandparents, who lovingly spoke about their ancestors during WW1, it will be appreciated.
Why am I doing this?
There were talks about the Cape Coloured Corps' involvement in WW1, but why did no one come forward when this project launched? It's because of the term Black, that most coloureds believed they were excluded and did nothing to educate our people on the term used by other countries.
We want our people to be recognized as part of the struggle and rightly so, however we must also make the effort to reconcile and accept the past. Voice up, speak up and make history inclusive, as it is.
Please make contact with me if you have any memory of talks of grandparents being in WW1. I really want the best for all our people in South Africa, to not forget, but forgive for the future of our descendants.
We can make this work together, but it will take time...probably not in our lifetime, but I'm positive it will.
Awaiting your memories. 🙏🏽🇿🇦✊🏽