Rhodes
- Justine Crisp
- Sep 13, 2018
- 3 min read
I don't really know much about the origin of this monument.
I’ve only ever been there a couple of times - possibly a full count of one hand. But each time was memorable. The view of Cape Town is honestly magnificent. Any day, any type of weather... it still has the power to make me look out in awe.
About a month ago I was off work, "chilling" at home with my cousin when I get a message about an audition. The Audition was for a part in a television commercial for a fast food restaurant. Quite a popular fast food restaurant... B
Eventually I headed through to the City Bowl all alone and go to the audition. After waiting a couple of hours, making a few friends, I invited one of them to join me at Rhodes Memorial monument. You know, share a bit of my city with someone new. So thank you Mansir for accepting my offer to show you around my town.
It was a beautiful warm day - thank you Cape Town.
Not too long after I went again with another buddy of mine. The weather was miserable, overcast, cold and windy. Yet once again the view came through!
Any way, let me share a little bit of information that I found on the internet to try to understand the landarks history. Guess its never a bad thing to learn about my hometown.
"The dynamic Statue of Energy rearing at the foot of the 49 steps, (one for each year of his life), was a tribute to the restless drive and determination of Rhodes." (http://www.rhodesmemorial.co.za/memorial.aspx).
So the moument was build as a tribute to Cecil Rhodes by 30000 Cape Town citizens, this was done by a public subscription to finance the construction.
Cecil Rhodes, a former Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, born in England, and instead of going to University, he was sent to South Africa to stay with his elder brother in Southern Natal to work on a cotton farm. Yet, in 1871, they moved to Kimberly to chase their "diamond fever". He had quote a bit of financial success in the diamond industry.
In 1873, he went back to England to Study at Oxford. Now this fact suprised and intrigued me. It took him 8 years to complete a Degree in Bachelor of Arts. There is honeslty no time line in anyones calender, let life happen!
He then spent six months alone and developed his philosiphies consisiting of British Imperialism. Yep oh snap.
In 1880, he partnered up with Bernie Barnato and formed De Beers Consolated Mines. In the time that the business grew, Cecil built a career in politics. In this time he controlled the politics of Britains Cape Conoly. In 1890 he become the Premier of the Cape, and in 1894, he gave a speech and presented the Glen Garry Act.
"The Glen Garry Act was to put pressure on Africans to enter the labour market and resticting rights such as access to land and landownership rights" (https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/cecil-john-rhodes) .
Thank you for reading:).
Please check out the following link for more pictures I've taken at the momunent.
Comments