Low visitor numbers at Wildebeest Kuil prompted an upgrade project in February 2011 in the hopes to attract potential visitors. A steering committee was formed as part of plans toward the 2012 landscaping project. The project focussed on the front facade, the area was landscaped, and picnic, braai [barbeque] facilities, and a jungle gym were added to entice
61 An incongruent development was that together with museum budget cuts came increased funding for tourism in the province (Fortune, interview, September 2012).
62 Wildebeest Kuil guide, Petrus Wilson, noted that prior to its closure on weekends, much of the foot traffic occurred during weekdays, since besides the Big Hole, “everything is closed on weekends in Kimberley”
(Personal communication, 25 September 2011).
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families to stop off at the site if not for the heritage experience then as a rest stop. One of the stipulations of the project was that the landscaper had to source their workforce from within the Platfontein community. !Xun and Khwe workers received a certificate highlighting their on-the-job training on completion of the landscaping project. The steering committee included a representative from the South African San Institute (SASI),63 the Francis Baard Municipality, the Northern Cape Economic Development Agency, the Northern Cape provincial Tourism department and the Wildebeest Kuil management. There are four community leaders on the committee consisting of two !Xun and two Khwe representatives (sometimes joined by a fifth !Xun member). Mario Mahongo, Markus Jetembo, Zeke Shiwarra, Wentzel Katjarra, and Vasco Serveo have been elected by the community to serve as community leaders (see Chapter One for a discussion of the leadership roles in Platfontein).
Committee membership arose from groups/institutions that had already established a relationship with the site and who were concerned about its future. While Morris noted that this was true of the majority of members he bemoaned the absenteeism of certain civil servants at committee meetings (Email, 4 March 2015). On average the committee meets fortnightly but this varies according to the particular phase of planning and activity (ibid).
Beyond the landscaping project the committee has a long-term commitment to capacity building at Wildebeest Kuil. In separate interviews various committee members responded similarly to questions concerning expectations for the future of Wildebeest Kuil (Fieldnotes, June/July 2011). This implies that individual constituents are familiar with the overall objectives of the larger committee, nevertheless, motivations differ. Committee members of the !Xun and Khwe leadership focussed much of their attention on the potential income generation of the site for artists and crafters in the community and as a possible future source of employment for Platfontein youth, while remaining committee members focussed their attention on the site as a heritage resource and tourism destination.
Khwe community leader, Markus Zetembo (Interview, July 2011) and !Xun leader, Mahongo (Interview, June 2011) both expressed discontent that there is no-one from Platfontein currently working at Wildebeest Kuil. They reiterated that the site belongs to the community, but more specifically that Platfontein suffers from a high unemployment rate. Job creation is
63 Meryl-Joy Scheepers, the director of SASI sits on the committee.
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thus high on the agenda of community leadership. When met with the fact that Platfontein members had worked previously at Wildebeest Kuil but had left of their own choice, Zetembo stated that of concern had been the distance between the site and Platfontein64 as well as the low wage earned at Wildebeest Kuil. On the other hand, Mahongo observed that the lack of work at Wildebeest Kuil was the fault of Platfontein’s own community members.
He noted that attempts to explain the greater significance of working on the site (for the protection of the heritage resource under the care of the community and dissemination of their cultural offerings) were unsuccessful. Furthermore, the youth were unresponsive to the offering of bursaries to study rock art (the source of this proposal was unclear). Mahongo admitted that perhaps many were unable to meet the criteria for application. He reiterated that the onus was on the leadership and parents to impress on the youth the importance of heritage and to stir in them a willingness to work at Wildebeest Kuil (Interview, June 2011).
Shiwarra provides a possible explanation for the lack of response from Platfontein community members to work outside of the settlement (Interview, July 2012). The youth, according to him, are frequently mistreated when they venture outside of Platfontein. Their language is mocked and they are marginalised and treated unfairly. He described a particular occurrence in which a group of youth went to Kimberley for the purpose of studying and were mocked for the sound of their language; “…die mense het gese hulle klink soes voeltijes” [the people said they sound like little birds] he said (Interview, July 2012).
Shiwarra expressed that most of the youth who go out for work return to Platfontein jobless and with a sense of defeat. In June 2011 I interviewed a group of youth between the ages of 19 and 21. The group constituted of one female and five males. The group demographic was
‘imbalanced’ due to the fact that the males were members of a hip hop dance group practicing together while the female respondent was the neighbour of one of the boys at whose house they practiced. They debated amongst themselves about the concern of joblessness in Platfontein. Robert said that young people in the community merely sit around waiting for jobs to come to them because they are nervous and fearful of speaking in English or Afrikaans and lack the confidence to seek out work. Rina disagreed, saying that while people
64 Wildebeest Kuil is approximately a 15 minute walk away from Platfontein either through marshlands (which may increase the walking time) or via the R31, a busy road with no pedestrian walkway. A lack of access to transportation is a challenge regarding the high levels of unemployment in Platfontein and greatly affects other spheres of live such as access to medical assistance.
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go out in search of work, jobs are scarce and finding work is difficult. The group noted that job creation within the community is essential (Youth, interview, June 2011).
Following his earlier comments, Mahongo stated that employees at Wildebeest Kuil external to the Platfontein community conduct their work “nie uit sy hart nie” [not from their hearts]
(Interview, June 2011). This is in contrast to the passion for the site demonstrated by long- standing workers Wilson and Ndebele. Ndebele expressed displeasure at not being invited to attend committee meetings (Interview, July 2011). He went on to say that since he was at the site on a daily basis (and privy to all its on-goings) he was able to make relevant recommendations. He gave an example of weeding required at the front façade after the landscaping was complete. Seeing the need for maintenance he initially did the job of weeding but asked who would continue to maintain the new garden. In a later discussion with committee members it was apparent that funding for continued maintenance had not been considered (Fieldnotes, July 2011). Ndebele’s response was, “I just accept it, because I’m not important” (Interview, July 2011).
When asked for their opinion regarding the workings of the committee, members noted a general amicable atmosphere (Fieldnotes, June/July 2011). Each of the Platfontein committee members with whom I spoke was able to express themselves eloquently. They spoke a higher level of Afrikaans to that of the community at large and were able to converse at length regarding complex issues at Wildebeest Kuil and Platfontein. Their role as the leadership was palpable. Informed by the above impressions I submit that in engagements with remaining committee members (SASI, tourism, local municipality and the McGregor Museum) these indigenous representatives are far from disempowered. Of course some disempowerment remains, particulars of which are discussed in the following section concerning the !Xun and Khwe Communal Property Association (CPA). The earlier claim of amicability notwithstanding, Zetembo mentioned that the Khwe were dissatisfied that at present crafts sold at Wildebeest Kuil are those of the !Xun (Interview, July 2011).65 Nevertheless, he observed that the two communities had walked a long road together and should thus strive to work together; the leadership, he said, plays a pivotal role in this endeavour (ibid).
65 I was unable to determine the validity of this statement, however, its significance as perception remains pertinent to the discussion.
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