The establishment of Sol Plaatje University (SPU) injected life back into a dying Kimberley CBD by simulating the regeneration of residential and commercial developments. While providing state-of-the-art infrastructure, employment opportunities and boosting the economy, SPU has made great efforts to engage with surrounding communities and stimulate inclusivity that have changed the tenor of social interactions in the city.
By far the most emotive project is the University’s revitalization efforts of the iconic Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Gardens.
Founded by Harry Oppenheimer to commemorate the life of his father Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, the founder of Anglo American and former mayor of the city of Kimberley. The Gardens were first opened in December 1961 occupying part of the site of the old Malay Camp.
The Malay camp was part of the cluster of urban spaces which evolved from the early mining days of Kimberley. The initial tents and canvas houses gave way to more permanent structures of residential and public buildings such as churches and mosques, schools and a police station. When De Beers, one-time owners of the land, donated the Malay camp to the city of Kimberley in 1939 it was on the condition that “slum clearance” was carried out to create a public open space. The Malay Camp was eventually essentially erased as a physical presence but not forgotten by the dispossessed.
The Gardens eventually became a focal point for picnics and photoshoots in the picturesque rose garden. The Diggers Fountain (also known as the Miners Memorial), depicting five life sized miners holding up a diamond sieve, and the bust of Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, were two memorable features of the gardens.
The Gardens fell into disrepair over the years from lack of maintenance, the digger’s sieve disappeared, the bust of Ernest Oppenheimer was stolen and then replaced. The Gardens, once a beautiful source of pride, became an eye sore.
In April 2021, negotiations began between the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality and SPU for the purchase of the Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Gardens. In early 2022 objections to the sale were raised by members of the public based on the historical significance of the area. After protracted discussions the sale was concluded in September 2023 and in February 2024 SPU acquired ownership of the Gardens.
The University has built a Great Hall on the site and will create a Botanical Garden that will function as an open-air laboratory for academics and students in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences. We anticipate that it will be accredited by the SA Biodiversity Institute as South Africa’s 10th Botanical Garden.
The Botanical Garden will be open, by arrangement with the University, to the public for exhibitions, book clubs, open-air theatre, and musical performances. However, some refurbishment is required to restore the Gardens to its former glory.
The Gardens will be temporarily closed to allow for the rehabilitation to take place. Infrastructure upgrades are ongoing, such as the installation of cameras, Wi-Fi, lighting, irrigation and pump houses in preparation for the establishment of the botanical garden. The idea is to have the Gardens open to the public on a regulated basis and in line with the vision of the University. Currently the Gardens are open from Monday to Sunday, from 8:00 to 18:00 every day. (No entry after 17:00).
