Notice No. 460

25 April 2008

By virtue of the powers vested in the South African Heritage Resources Agency in terms of section 27(7) of the National Heritage Resources Act, 25 of 1999, SAHRA hereby declares the burial site of Sarah Bartmann situated on erf 3164, Hankey, Kouga Municipality, Eastern Cape Province as a National Heritage Site.

SIGNIFICANCE

The site has spiritual, cultural, social, and historical significance.

The treatment of Sarah Bartmann during her life and after her death speaks of suffering, dispossession, sadness and loss of dignity, culture, community, language and life. It is a symptom of the inhumanity of people.

The return and burial of Sarah Bartmann's remains in the region of her birth and Motherland has brought closure to her life and restored dignity to her, her ancestors and living descendants. The site should serve as a symbol to all South Africans and the world to strive towards recognizing past injustices to Khoi-San people, to women and vulnerable communities and to work towards building a nation that shows respect to human life, human rights and human dignity.

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