THE NORTHERN AREAS UPRISING IN CONTEXT

In early 2008, a group of concerned individuals and heritage & development practitioners in the Nelson Mandela Bay came together to develop a project aimed at documenting the cultural and historical needs of the so‐called “Northern Areas” of Nelson Mandela Bay. The August 1990 uprisings in the Northern Areas and Uitenhage was considered to be significant historically and hence warranted further research.

The aim of this specific Exhibition component is concerned to engage the public on the history of an 'imagined' "Northern Areas coloured community" and to problematise the 1990 'uprising' in a post colonial ‐ apartheid context by asking the following question; “Who are you?” “Who are we?” It primarily aims to encourage dialogue in the Metro around the development of a "living memorial" for this area in the form of possibly a Healing and Heritage Centre. In addition, it is considered one of the chief modes for developing content that will inform such a Centre.

The 1990 unrest, in which an estimated 59 people lost their lives, was commemorated last year by the surviving families through the erection of a commemorative stone in honor of the victims of this tragedy.

The broader “Northern Areas History and Heritage Project” is the first to seek to fully document and archive the event. In 1990 the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth ‐ an area where “coloured” people had been resettled after forced removals in the 1960s, and African removed ‐ exploded as people clashed with authorities over rental increases. It resulted in many deaths, loss of businesses and trauma. The uprising and its aftermath has largely been undocumented. This project seeks to document the uprising as a significant chapter in the history of the Northern Areas. It aims to do this by soliciting inputs from a wide collection of stakeholders, witnesses and survivors.

The project is also focused on community building, reconciliation and closure through the writing of history. These are crucial factors for the building of a stable democracy. The past years of democracy has afforded South Africa an opportunity to re‐examine, with hindsight and empathy, some events that occurred during its violent and often sad past.

The 1990 Northern Areas unrest was such a violent, traumatic and sad event. This Uprising has since passed into the annals of South African history and has now become part of the heritage of the Northern Areas, the Nelson Mandela Metro and South Africa...

Interested Media stakeholders are welcome to contact the Red Location Museum's Curator, Christopher du Preez, @ L 0414088400 & E cdupreez@mandelametro.gov.za