Cape Town, South Africa – On January 23, 1915, two boatmen named Dolly Jenniker and Zulu Madhliwa drowned in the Orange River in South Africa while ferrying supplies to Union of South Africa forces during World War I. The river was flooded, causing their vessel to be overwhelmed by rapids. Jenniker’s wife, Molly, never saw him again, and Madhliwa’s father, Ngobongwana, only learned of his son’s death when he received his wages in the mail. Over a century later, a new memorial in Cape Town’s Company’s Gardens will finally recognize these men, along with 1,700 other South Africans of color who died in World War I in Africa.
Organized and funded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the memorial will feature African iroko hardwood posts bearing the names and death dates of each fallen labor corps veteran. The unveiling is set to take place on Wednesday, January 22, aiming to honor these individuals who were not armed and lost their lives in Africa during the war. This memorial is the first step in remembering the estimated 100,000 Black Africans who died on the Allied side in World War I in Africa.
The CWGC, founded in 1917, was established to recognize the sacrifices made by individuals across the British Empire, including those who died in World War I and World War II. The commission has been working to right wrongs and fill gaps in commemorating all those who lost their lives, regardless of race or background. The new Cape Town memorial will honor the forgotten men who died in Africa, shedding light on their contributions and sacrifices during the war.