This year it will be seventy years ago when the doors (or gates) of the largest detention camp built by the Allies during World War II were officially closed. Round about 100 000 Italian prisoners of war were detained in tents, later brick barracks, on the Highveld 40 km east of Pretoria on the farm Zonderwater. 

This was no ordinary POW camp, it had language schools, primary schools for illiterate and technical/vocational school with specific textbooks; libraries, a camp magazine, theatre plays, handicraft, sports and recreational activity. Last but not least: religious assistance - a church was built. What is left today is a unique cemetery with numerous symbolic features and a small compact museum. 
     
Was it not for a humble Italian engineer who came to South Africa in 1970 from the Cahora Bassa dam, this unique haven of art, history and culture could well have undergone the same fate as the abandoned historic Church Street Pretoria Cemetery.  The least we as Pretorians’ can do is to acknowledge Emilio Coccia (president of the Zonderwater Block Ex-POW Association) for his dedication to have our and the Italian legacy preserved and to honour him with our Association’s bi-annual Certificate of Merit  and  present him the Collector’s Edition of Public Sculptures of Pretoria. Dignitaries of the Italian Consulate will venerate this handover with their presence.

You are cordially invited to listen to Emilio as he takes us through the gardens, past the statues and to the Museum. From there he will take us to the quaint church built by the POW and which is now being restored.

Please book before Wednesday May 10 with Janine van der Merwe 082 458 2623 janine@shibbolet.co.za or Elsie Botha 012 804 7605 guttera@netactive.co.za

Cost R 60.00 pp.  After you have booked a route map will be emailed to you.

Sincere regards,

Anton Jansen, CEO: Tshwane Building Heritage Association    083 653 0982