As part of the 60th commemoration of woman’s month, the Deputy Minister of Art and Culture Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi accompanied by the Premier, Ms Sylvia Lucas and various Provincial leaders, today unveiled a memorial for one of the unsung heroines of the Province, Mrs Magrieta Jantjies. Ouma Griet, as she was affectionately known, is being honoured for her role in promoting the N!uu Language. There are only about four people remaining that can still speak the language fluently.
Premier Sylvia Lucas thanked the Department of Arts and Culture who through the South Africa Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA) erected a memorial in honour of the late Mrs Magrieta Jantjies. Ouma Griet’s grave was identified as a grave of cultural significance in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act no 25 of 1999(NHRA) section 36(2) which states that SAHRA must identify and record graves of victims of conflict and any other graves which it deems to be of cultural significance and may erect memorials associated with the grave.” This was prompted by the role that Magrieta Jantjies played in opposing displacement of N!uu Language imposed by the apartheid government.