Between Borders:
Drawing connections between the historical safe passage route in Lobatse, Botswana and the community during the quest for South African liberation
The Design Proposal (DP) focuses on memorialising and reflecting on the liberation struggle of South Africa during apartheid and the role that Botswana played as a safe passage route to exile. The project is grounded on the landscape of the Peleng township, in Lobatse, Botswana and aims to focus on the significant site of the Fish Keitseng monument precinct within the township. Fish Keitseng is a Motswana and member of the African National Congress (ANC) and anti-apartheid groups, who played a prominent role during the liberation. His home operated as an underground passage system and experienced multiple raids and attacks by the regime and was declared a National Monument in 2012.
Upon further research, it was discovered that in October 2018 the South African Heritage and Resource Agency met with various key stakeholders of Botswana at the South African High Commission to discuss potential memorial propositions. The panel visited the Fish Keitseng monument and further discussions were held with the Lobatse Mayoral delegation. However, what was notably missing in the report was the voices and engagement with the community even though they are constantly doing the underground work of upholding the monument.
The DP mainly focuses on the Fish Keitseng monument as the core focus and community hub. Furthermore, the project has two added connections between the pilgrimage to the Peleng hills whereby liberation movements and meetings took place as well as the Samora Machel museum which operated as a safe passage home.
The project intends to create a connection between the past and present. It overlays the existing community activities and aspirations with the historically significant points and events. The project makes use of composite illustrations to uncover the complex and hybrid layers of the past and the existing (current).
