Ex Aussie deputy prime minister visits region

The former deputy prime minister of Australia was among high-profile guests visiting the Soutpansberg to explore sites associated with Breaker Morant, the Bushveldt Carbineers (BVC) and the Anglo Boer War.

“Of about eight previous tour groups from Australia, this was certainly the highest-profile group of Australians to do this tour. What a receptive, appreciative and pleasurable Australian group to guide,” said local historian, author and specialist tour guide Charles Leach after concluding his part of the Australians' South African tour. Leach believes that the former deputy prime minister, Tim Fischer, and most others in the group have gone back “with a revised impression of the BVC, compared to the one they came here with”.

Fischer, Australia’s deputy prime minister from 1996 to 1999, is a passionate rail historian and the tour guide of “a journey of discovery in South Africa to learn about the country’s culture, colonial past and Australian military links, including Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant.” Tim’s tour included “two classic luxury rail journeys from Pretoria to Cape Town and Durban to Pretoria, through historic areas, national parks and game parks, all with spectacular scenery and wildlife.”

On 6 October, Leach took the group to Rev Heese’s grave and to the actual room in the house in Hans van Rensburg Street (Polokwane) where the Court Martial of Breaker Morant and the others was held in 1902. “This visit certainly impacted on several members of the group because it is not normally included in my tours and the Australian films and documentaries generally show that the officers were tried in a sort of dingy shed, not in one of the finest old homes of Pietersburg,” Leach said. The group visited the concentration camp cemetery in Polokwane “for a very good and unexpected visual impression of the effects of the ‘scorched-earth policy’ and the ‘mopping-up’ operations that the BVC were involved with.”

Fort Hendrina and graves and monuments from Valdezia back towards Bandelierkop were visited the next day. Visiting the railway station in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) on Monday (7th), railway fanatic Tim was amazed to hear that the first train to come in would be on Thursday! On the 8th, Ronnie Visser, descendant of the BVC victims, joined the group for breakfast at the Lalapanzi Hotel. “One of the ladies told me later that it was a mind-blowing experience to actually shake the hand of a descendant of a man executed (murdered!) by her countrymen!” said Leach. The rest of the day was spent in the Moketsi,  Letaba Valley, Medingen and Modjadjiskloof areas, which are included in the Skirmishes tour.

The group was overwhelmed with true South African hospitality. “What impacted on me was the variety of generous comments made by Tim and his group concerning the preservation of our heritage, access to graves and monuments on private land and even the balanced nature of some of the text engraved on the monuments,” said Leach.

Fischer wrote the foreword for Nick Bleszynski’s book Shoot straight you Bastards! and he was also part of the delegation that presented the first  'pardon petition' (attempting to gain a pardon for Breaker Morant and Handcock) to Whitehall in London some four years ago.  “I have no doubt that they return to Australia as true ambassadors to what really happened here,” said Leach.

Leach expresses sincere thanks to each and everyone who contributed to the success of this significant tour, including Hansie van Schalkwyk, Dirk Badenhorst, George Short, all landowners, and Laurie Bannatyne (for the chemical toilet).

News - Date: 25 October 2013

Linda van der Westhuizen

Linda van der Westhuizen has been with Zoutnet since 2001. She has a heart for God, people and their stories. Linda believes that every person is unique and has a special story to tell. It follows logically that human interest stories is her speciality. Linda finds working with people and their leaders in the economic, educational, spiritual and political arena very rewarding. “I have a special interest in what God is doing in our town, province and nation and what He wants us to become,” says Linda.

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