Church in Peelton to be listed as heritage site
THE Peelton Congregational Church, outside Bhisho in the 1800s, is to be listed as a heritage site.
The church, which has hosted a school that has produced many of South Africa’s leaders, including Walter Rubusana, Steve Tshwete and Mxolisi Majombozi, has recently undergone major renovations.
Last week, National Heritage Council of South Africa (NHC) chief executive Sonwabile Mancotywa and NHC board chairman Malusi Balintulo conducted a site visit to determine the grade of the site.
Mancotywa said although the council had yet to announce whether the church would be a national or provincial site, it was a site worth preserving.
“The majority of our sites were European-built but this church was build by [Reverend Richard] Birt [from the London Missionary Society] and local men from the area. This then brings balance to the collection of heritage sites that we have in the country,” said Mancotywa.
Present at the site visit, was the widow of Tshwete and deputy minister of water and sanitation Pamela Tshwete, who said the church was close to her heart.
“This church is a personal treasure to me and also a national treasure as it has produced a number of the greatest intellectuals in South Africa.
“My husband, Steve, graduated in Standard 6 [Grade 8] from this church, we got married in this church and he had wanted to come back here and plough back into the Peelton community,” said Tshwete.
Mancotywa commended the people of Peelton for having kept the 142-year-old building. The building also scored a nomination in this year’s heritage awards which will be held in Kimberley later this year.
“We are exceptionally proud of how the community has taken care of this church,” added Mancotywa.
The recent renovations were sponsored by some luminaries, as well as members of the surrounding community.
Speaking for the church, Reverend Mzimkhulu Kazaza said they were excited that the church would receive recognition for the work it had done for not just the people of Peelton – but also for the people of South Africa.
“We are honoured to belong to an institution that has an amazing legacy and now we are going to be part of creating a new era for the church.
“We have also been fortunate to have had people who have been committed to the maintenance of this building,” Kakaza added. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za built