Century-old hotel

Southern Right Hotel, a century-old Glencairn landmark hotel, is looking at possible new landlords as an auction is set to take place on Tuesday 15 April. The land and buildings housing the hotel, Flukes restaurant, the Blowhole pub and several small businesses are to go under the hammer. The hotel has been a prominent feature of the False Bay coastline since 1904 and was previously known as the Glencairn Hotel and the Just Nuisance Inn. In 2004, a century after it was built, it was reopened as the Southern Right Hotel by the current owners of the land, Frans Hollenbach, Paul Jaques, Bovain MacNab, Guido Richert and Andrew Weeks. It is the land and buildings that are for sale, not the hotel as a going concern. The hotel, restaurant and pub have valid leases for another seven years. The hotel is a heritage building, built in 1904 by the Scottish architect John Parker, initially as a private residence and later established as a grand hotel.

Krige family burial vault rebuilt

Johan Krige, of Caledon Villa Guest House in Stellenbosch, has helped reconstruct a Krige family burial vault that was built in 1842. Six years ago he received a photo of the neglected vault at the Stellenbosch Dutch Reformed Church. The vault was built by Carl Otto Hager for Willem Adolph Krige of the farm Uiterwyk. Hager was a well-known architect who built many churches. Willem Adolph Krige was the grandson of the Krige progenitor, Wilhelm Adolph Kriege, a VOC official that arrived at the Cape in 1721. In 1942, Willem jnr bought the burial plot at an auction held by the church council. Willem and his wife, Elizabeth, were buried in the vault. Shortly afterwards, the church council opened a new burial ground at Du Toitstasie. In 1967 the Krige family vault was demolished. The original vault could house 12 coffins. With the reconstruction, 120 cremation recesses were built, of which 50 have already been sold to descendants of the Krige progenitor. The Krige Family Association was founded in 1976.

Durban Holocaust Centre opened

Six million Jews died in the Holocaust. Durban now has its own place of remembrance for them. The Durban Holocaust Centre, housed at the Durban Jewish Centre in Old Fort Road, was recently opened. One of the guest speakers was a local resident who survived the holocaust, Jack Puterman. The centre was designed by Linda Bester, who also designed the Cape Town Holocaust Centre. It cost more than R1-million and was financed by the local Jewish community. Mary Kluk, president of the Council of KwaZulu-Natal Jewry, came up with the idea. Visitors can trace the rise of the Third Reich propaganda machine, the labour, concentration and the death camps. A replica gas chamber was recreated. The centre is awaiting permission from Anne Frank House in Holland for a replica of the bedroom where she hid. A Garden of Remembrance contains six fountains - one for each of the million Jews killed. For more info, contact Maureen at 031-368-6833.

De la Rey death mask

A death mask of Afrikaner nationalist General Koos de la Rey was recently revealed in public in Houghton, Johannesburg. DNA tests by Unistel Medical Laboratories confirmed that the plaster of Paris mask belonged to the Anglo-Boer War hero. The mask is believed to be the only one of its kind ever found in Africa. Dutch-born sculptor Anton van Wouw made the death mask just a few hours after the General was shot in 1914. He later used the mask as a model for his busts of De la Rey. After Van Wouw's death, the mask was bought on auction by one of his friends who kept it until August 2007, when the publication of a book on De la Rey, which contains a photo of the mask, led to its discovery. The book, De la Rey: ’n Stryd vir vryheid, was written by Prof. Andries Raath. Strands of De la Rey's beard, attached to the mask, were matched with blood taken from his great-grandson, Jacques de la Rey. Death masks were common in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other famous figures who left death masks include Napoleon Bonaparte, William Shakespeare and Mary Tudor.

Save the Sea Point promenade

The Sea Point promenade is under threat and a campaign to save it from being disfigured by a major development on both sides of the pavilion and its swimming pools, is underway. Since its earliest days, Capetonians and visitors have enjoyed walking along the promenade, children have played on the swings and roundabouts, families have had picnics on the lawns, and impromptu games of soccer and volleyball have been played here. Since the carousel was demolished, dancers have made use of the space, and musicians have played through the gorgeous sunsets. People have watched for the new moon that signals the end of Ramadan. The Sea Point promenade is part of Cape Town's character. Now there is a possibility that a hotel and shopping mall will be built on a part of it, on the seaward side of the street. The Seafront for All (Seafa) campaign is collecting signatures for a petition. Help save the Sea Point promenade.

Afrikaans language museum

The Afrikaans language has its own private museum. The Huis vir Afrikaanse poësie (hAp) in Capital Park, Pretoria, is being set up as a private museum by Charl Pretorius. It will open to the public in July. The history of the language, alongside that of Namakwa-Afrikaans, Bo-Kaap-Afrikaans, Oranjerivier-Afrikaans and other dialects, will be on display. The museum is looking for any donations of Afrikaans historical items.

Durban Documentation Centre closed

Kwazulu-Natal’s MEC for Art, Culture and Tourism, Weziwe Thusi, will hold a public hearing on 15 April to decide on the future of historic Indian artefacts that were held by the Durban Documentation Centre. The centre, which housed material relating to the history of Indians in South Africa, was closed down in January. The centre was home to musical instruments, clothing, documents, books and photographs, some dating back to the 1800s. The hearing will take place at the Protea Edward Hotel in Durban. Interested parties have been asked to file submissions by 14 April. A crisis committee, headed by Juggie Pather, has been trying to get the material transferred to a venue in Chatsworth, so far unsuccessfully.