Polokwane Library Gardens: A Legacy at Risk?
This article originally published with images at https://buymeacoffee.com/theprodigyrsa/polokwane-library-gardens-a-legacy-risk
The Library Gardens, surrounded by Hans van Rensburg, Jorissen, Schoeman, and Grobler Streets in Polokwane, stands as a cultural and historical hub, home to the city’s central library and The Polokwane Art Museum. As a child, I cherished visits here—renting VHS movies, later DVD’s, and PlayStation games at Mr Video, now closed, and borrowing my first book about ships with my mom at the library, a memory etched in my heart. Developed by Shelstaton (Pty) Ltd and opened by Honorable Mayor Councillor P J Schalkwyk, with The Polokwane Art Museum added in 1992 by Mayor Dr. N Van Reede Van Oudtshoorn, the Gardens once proudly displayed busts of Boer leaders, including Hans van Rensburg and Stephanus Schoeman, on four pillars. Today, these pillars stand empty, some repurposed by hawkers to display goods and one bearing an art installation honoring fallen women in blue, a shift many view as disrespectful to Polokwane’s Afrikaner heritage. The story of these pillars challenges us to consider how the city honors its past.
A Historical Cornerstone
Polokwane, originally Pietersburg, was founded in 1886 as a capital for Boer settlers displaced from Schoemansdal after conflicts with the Venda in the 1860’s. Purchased in 1884, the land was laid out in 150 plots by surveyor G R Von Wielligh, with many given to those who lost property. By 1886, the Magistrate’s Office had relocated, solidifying the city’s regional importance. The Library Gardens, a key part of this historical core, houses the city library, established as a subscription library on 13 May 1904 in a rented room on Market Street. In 1990, the library moved to the Library Gardens, a complex developed by Shelstaton (Pty) Ltd and opened by Mayor P J Schalkwyk. In 1992, Mayor Dr. N Van Reede Van Oudtshoorn inaugurated the Polokwane Art Museum on the site, enriching its cultural role.
The Pillars of Afrikaner Heritage
The Library Gardens once honored Afrikaner history through busts on four pillars, prominently featuring Hans van Rensburg and Stephanus Schoeman, with two others speculated to represent Koos Grobler and Johan Jorrisen, though some historians suggest they may have depicted other Boer pioneers. While the Gardens is surrounded by streets bearing these names, the pillars’ placement does not necessarily align with Hans van Rensburg, Jorissen, Schoeman, and Grobler Streets. Hans van Rensburg, a Voortrekker arriving in the Zoutpansberg in 1836, helped shape early Boer settlement, his bust symbolizing resilience. Stephanus Schoeman, born in 1810, was a ZAR President (1860–1862) and Commandant-General, known as the “Stormvogel den Noorden” for his bold leadership, with Schoemansdal and a Pretoria street named in his honor. The other pillars, potentially honoring figures like Grobler or Jorrisen, contributed to this narrative of Boer sacrifice, anchoring Polokwane’s Afrikaner identity.
A Painful Transformation
In April 2015, amid protests against colonial and apartheid-era monuments, the bust of Stephanus Schoeman was defaced with white paint, sparking outrage among those who valued its historical weight. The other busts, including Hans van Rensburg and the two speculated to be Koos Grobler and Johan Jorrisen, faced similar threats. The Moolman Group, managing the Library Gardens, removed all four busts shortly after, citing safety concerns, leaving the pillars bare. A 2017 citizen.co.za report claimed the removal included busts of Grobler and Jorrisen, but this remains unverified, with historians questioning whether these figures were represented.
Today, the pillars have new roles that many find disrespectful. Some are used by hawkers to display goods like fruits or crafts, erasing their historical purpose. Around March 2016, one pillar was adorned with an art installation, featuring a board honoring fallen women in blue who paid the ultimate price serving their country, while also commemorating International Women’s Month. Though meaningful, this tribute shifts the pillar’s focus from its original Afrikaner legacy, deepening the sense of loss for those who cherish this history. The pillars, once proud symbols, now stand in contrast to the Gardens’ past as a place of community and heritage.
A Call to Preserve History
The Library Gardens, bolstered by the 1992 addition of the Polokwane Art Museum and recent upgrades by The Moolman Group, remains central to Polokwane’s cultural life, its library a beacon since 1904. Yet, the empty pillars, stripped of busts honoring Van Rensburg, Schoeman, and possibly others, cast a shadow over this legacy. For many in the Afrikaner community, their use as hawker stalls or modern art displays feels like an erasure of the Boer pioneers’ sacrifices. Should these pillars be restored to honor Polokwane’s Afrikaner roots, or should they reflect new narratives, like the tribute to women in blue? Visit the Library Gardens, pause by the pillars, and reflect on the stories they no longer tell. Your voice can help shape how this history is remembered.
If this story resonates with you, please support my work on BuyMeACoffee. Your contribution helps preserve these important narratives and please feel free to brows my Library Gardens album at https://bit.ly/ptglibgar.
The Prodigy
