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The wagon is a replica and copy model of the wagons that formed a laager at the Battle of Blood River. A laager is an encampment that is formed by wagons in a circle to entrap an enemy and this war technique was used by the Voortrekkers in battle against the Zulu’s: “Late in 1838 a commando assembled by a new leader, Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (1798–1853), set up a defensive laager of wagons at the Ncome River to challenge a 10 000-strong Zulu army in a decisive battle.” This battle became known as the Battle of Blood River: “The victorious Voortrekkers renamed the Ncome Blood River (Bloedrivier) because it was reputed to have run red from the blood of thousands of slain Zulu warriors when Dingane’s army was defeated there on 16 December 1838.” Therefore, to commemorate and memorialise the Battle of Blood River, replica wagons were created and placed at the site of Blood River in 1971. The wagon extends symbolism beyond Blood River but to an ideal of faith, religion and belief within Afrikaners that were a select and chosen people of God: “The importance of Blood River is explained as being the day on which ‘DEVINE intervention’ (sic) ensured victory, showing that Afrikaners are (together with the Israelites) God’s chosen people.”
This specific wagon, which is located at the Voortrekker Monument went through some traveling as it was part of the original commemoration that was unveiled at the site of Blood River in 1971 and then donated to the National Cultural History Museum in 1980. In 1996, the Museum then donated the wagon to its current location, the Voortrekker Monument.
Reference
Rankin, E. and Schneider, R.M., ‘From Memory to Marble: The Historical Frieze of the Voortrekker Monument Part I: The Frieze (Germany: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2020).
King Dingane’s powerful Zulu army of more than 10 000 impis, and a group of 462 Voortrekker men and helpers, led by Andries Pretorius engaged in battle on the banks of the Ncome River on 16 December 18388. This became known as the Battle of Blood River, that according to historians, had a major effect on the course of South African history.
In the 1960s, it was decided that the original laager of Andries Pretorius would be replicated as accurately as possible. The designer, Kobus Esterhuizen, designed 64 life size bronzed steel wagons in a D shape, that included whips, gates and lanterns.
Every wagon was modelled exactly like the Johanna van der Merwe Centenary replica wagon of 1938. The wagons were cast and then sprayed with sand to clean the surface. A coat of sink, followed by a coat of bronze was applied.
The replica laager was unveiled at Blood River on 16 December 1971. This wagon was donated to the National Cultural History Museum in 1980, and the Museum donated the wagon to the Voortrekker Monument in 1996.
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- City of Tshwane
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may be better served as an object record
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