Name airport after Dawid Stuurman

TO Airports Company of South Africa,

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey

I note this quote as Port Elizabeth International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, East London Airport and Kimberley Airport are subject to renaming as part of the government’s transformation of heritage landscape programme.

The renaming of these four airports would be contributing to the preservation of our country’s rich heritage, history and culture, knowing that the new names will have historic significance and reference.

It is with great enthusiasm and excitement that I welcome the announcement by the Airports Company of South Africa that it’s seeking public comment and proposals.

The Eastern Cape is well known for its historic contributions to the freedom struggle, the iconic leaders from the region who contributed to the realisation of our democratic dream, and many who suffered under the hand of the oppressor during colonialisation and apartheid.

The struggle against oppression and segregation, and for the ownership of land, equal rights and freedom started long before the 1900s.

Dawid Stuurman was a leader of the Khoi people, who fought against the Dutch and the British colonialism in the Eastern Cape.

Stuurman played a key role in the Khoi Rebellion, or Third Frontier War, which lasted from 1799 to 1803.

He was one of the first political prisoners to be sent to Robben Island.

He was arrested twice, in 1809 and in 1819, and both times he escaped.

Stuurman was arrested again for a third time in 1823 and exiled to New South Wales in Australia for breaking colonial laws.

He died on February 22 1830 in Sydney.

Stuurman was a symbol of resistance, of the struggle of the Khoi-San people and he is the embodiment of the cause of the Khoi-San people.

It is my strong recommendation that the Port Elizabeth International Airport be renamed the Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport.

That the Khoi under the stewardship of Stuurman contribution to the freedom struggle is unquestioned, as together the Khoi and the Xhosa effectively attacked the colonists.

The Khoi were valuable allies as expert shooters and trained soldiers, who instructed the Xhosa in marksmanship and were relied upon for the maintenance of captured weapons.

The history of South Africa, or any part of it, can never be removed or ill-conceivably forgotten or ignored.

Such an act can only be seen as betrayal.

Much of history is dying because we are not doing enough to keep it alive.

By honouring Stuurman we will also preserve and keep our history alive.

Mandated by four of the traditional Khoi-San Tribes, we collectively appeal to Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa for serious consideration of renaming the airport the David Stuurman International Airport.

We are the descendants of Stuurman and many others who fought gallantly against colonial aggression and domination.

They imbued in us the spirit of no surrender! We are a resilient people.

Our forefathers defeated the colonialists whose motive was to take away the land from the indigenous people and strip them of their dignity.

Today we can define the part our ancestors played in shaping our future and we cannot place them outside the history that makes us who we are as a nation.

Efforts are currently under way to reclaim and give back the land to the people and bring back their dignity.

The ANC government has committed to develop the languages of the Khoi, the San and the Griqua, and have begun a process of passing the Traditional Khoi San Leadership Bill, the Indigenous Knowledge Bill and launching Nama as subject recently at Riemvasmaak.

Now more than ever, we have to stand together patriotically, and ensure we play our part in rewriting the history books and preserving our history.

Much as many would feel that the appropriate renaming of the Port Elizabeth Airport should be after Nelson Mandela or any other deserving activist, but so many are the names of our iconic leaders that I think even Mandela would have to acknowledge that it would only be just if it was named after Stuurman.

Christian Martin, Khoisan activist and ANC MPL, Port Elizabeth