FOR the last 11 years during Heritage Month in September, the provincial heritage body Amafa has presented its annual awards. According to Luthando Maphasa, director of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, the guest speaker the awards ceremony, these awards honour some of the “unsung heroes and heroines who shape our heritage”.
Nine individuals or organisations were honoured at this year’s ceremony:
The ones that we are particularly interested in are:
• Eckhard von Fintel for his research and publications on the history and genealogy
of the German community of KwaZulu-Natal
• Debbie Whelan for her work preserving the heritage of Georgetown, Edendale, and
the Montrose house project in Mpophomeni
• The African Conservation Trust for a variety of heritage projects, especially the
Rock Art Mapping Project, which has digitally documented and mapped over 500 sites at the uKha-hlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Site;
• The Mthethwa Tribal Authority, led by Bhekisisa Mthethwa, which has researched the history of the Mthethwa clan and erected a monument toiNkosi Dingiswayo Godongwane Mthethwa, the son of iNkosi Jobe, KaKhayi kaMadango kaXaba;
• Archaeologist Tim Maggs for his contribution to the study and research of KZN’s archaeology.
Well done Eckhard; good to see deserving genealogists receiving
recognition. I have seen the list of research and books that Eckhard has
produced and he is truly an unsung hero in the genealogical field. His
contribution to the eGGSA cemetery project is astounding.