Kempton History 4: Zuurfontein Memorial Traditional Geocache

English - In 2011 the Impala Voortrekkers decided as part of the 80-year anniversary of the Voortrekker movement to restore this monument. 

(At boom to area state that you are going to "Woepel  Doepel for Voortrekkers")

English: Zuurfontein “Day of the Vow” Memorial “… For the honour of His name will be glorified by giving Him the fame and honour for the victory“   Vow at Blood River 1838

The local community celebrated the Blood River victory since 1916 with the “Day of the Vow” on 16 December every year by gathering on the farm Zuurfontein. The celebrations usually started on 14 December with everyone camping on the farm. On 15 December many traditional sports, including target shooting, were played. The day’s festivities were concluded with singing, concerts and a braai.  16 December started with an early Morning Prayer hour and a church service.  Thereafter a speaker addressed the crowd and the festivities were concluded with the reading of the vow at 12 o’clock. With the passing of time the farm Zuurfontein became Kempton Park.  The festivities were held annually in a park on the corner of Van Riebeeck Road and Partridge Avenue (where the townhouse complex Kiewiet Park is currently situated). The park was rented from the city council for R2 per year. The festivities were held in a corrugated iron structure, to which later a kitchen and bathrooms of bricks were added. During 1966 this monument was erected to commemorate the 50^th Day of the vow celebrations on this site. The monument was designed by Mr. Theron, a local architect. It was inaugurated by Honourable Minister Albert Hertzog. Over time the corrugated iron buildings started to deteriorate to such a degree that it was no longer feasible to maintain them.  In 1994 the city council declared the buildings unsafe and they were demolished. Some of the local churches offered their venues to host the “Day of the Vow” services.  The offer was accepted and a new home had to be found for the monument.  The Impala Voortrekker Kommando heard that a new home was required for the monument and offered space in front of their culture centre.  The movement of the monument was a big concern.  To break it down and rebuild it would have been very costly and would most likely cause serious damage to the structure and historical integrity.  Instead, many volunteers, including the Parks Department, City Engineering and the Traffic Department, helped to transport the monument.  Two front loaders were simultaneously used to lift the monument.  The one front loader reversed with the other one following, moving the monument through the streets of Kempton Park while the Traffic Department assisted with blocking off roads. 

Afrikaans: Zuurfontein Geloftefees Monument “....Want die eer van Sy naam sal verheerlik word deur die roem en die eer van oorwinning aan Hom te gee” Gelofte by Bloedrivier 1838. Die gemeenskap het vanaf die 1916 jaarliks die Bloedrivier gelofte van 1838 herdenk deur op 16 Desember elke jaar ‘n saamtrek op die plaas Zuurfontein te hou. Tydens hierdie geleentheid is daar al vanaf 14 Desember kamp opgeslaan. Op 15 Desember is daar skyfskiet en boeresport gehou.  Die aand is afgesluit met sang, braaivleis en ‘n konsert. Op 16 Desember was daar vroegoggend ‘n biduur, gevolg deur ‘n erediens, ‘n spreker en die oggend is afgesluit met die lees van die Gelofte om 12 uur. Geleidelik het die plaas Zuurfontein verander in Kempton Park. Die fees is jaarliks gehou in ‘n park op die hoek van Van Riebeeckweg en Partridgelaan (waar die meenthuiskompleks Kiewiet Park tans is). Die park is van die plaaslike stadsraad gehuur teen R2 per jaar. Die feeshuis het aanvanklik uit ‘n sinkstruktuur bestaan en het later ‘n kombuis en kleedkamers van steen bygekry. In 1966 is ‘n monument opgerig ter herdenking aan die 50ste Geloftefees herdenking op hierdie terrein. Die monument is deur Mnr. Theron, ‘n plaaslike argitek, ontwerp. Die monument is deur sy edele minister Albert Hertzog, wat ook die feesrede gelewer het, onthul. Met die verloop van jare het die sinkgeboue tot so ‘n mate agteruit gegaan dat dit nie bekostigbaar was op dit op te knap nie en het die stadsraad gedurende 1994 kennis gegee dat die gebou nie meer veilig is nie en gesloop moet word. Van die kerke in Kempton Park het aangebied dat die Geloftefees jaarliks in hulle geboue gehou kan word en die aanbod is toe aanvaar. Die monument het egter nog daar gestaan en daar moes ‘n nuwe geskikte tuiste daarvoor gevind word.  Die Impala Voortrekkerkommando het van die saak te hore gekom en aangebied dat die monument na hulle terrein verskuif kan word. Om die monument af te breek en weer op te rig sou baie geld kos met ‘n groot moontlikheid van beskadiging. Baie vrywilligers het gehelp, onder andere die parke-afdeling, stadsingenieursafdeling en die verkeersdepartement. Die monument is uitgegrawe en deur twee voor-end laaiers weerskante van die monument  gelyktydig opgelig. Een moes toe agteruit ry en die ander een vorentoe met die monument op die twee laaibakke. Die verkeersmanne het die straatkruisings beman en so kon die monument veilig en ongeskonde op sy nuwe staanplek afgelaai word. In 2011 het Impala Voortrekkerkommando as deel van die 80 jarige vieringe van die Voortrekkerbeweging besluit om die monument te restoureer.  ‘n Tydkapsule is in die monument geplaas. Dit sluit koerante en aandenkings in en ook ‘n belofte wat onderteken is deur baie lede van die Impala Voortrekkerkommando waarin hulle onderneem om die Christelike waardes wat hulle voorgeslagte nagestreef het, die toekoms in te dra.