Stellenbosch University faces community calls for heritage recognition of Hardekraaltjie Cemetery

Over 700 people, primarily from the Tiervlei community, were buried there, but the cemetery was paved over for university expansion, and the stories of those buried were lost – until now. Stellenbosch University (SU) began a formal application to memorialise the Hardekraaltjie Cemetery, with the process involving public consultation since 2021, while a community member claimed the institution limited its proposals on the matter. Years later, community member, Chefferino Fortuin has continued with attempts to reclaim the erased histories and restore dignity to forgotten ancestors, and nominated the cemetery and its buffer area for Provincial Heritage Status (PHS) with HWC.

To define the memorialisation area, SU said it investigated its land (Erf 15349, Erf 18228, and Erf 24602). Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scans were conducted on the relevant erven, including the 50m buffer zone on Erf 24602 (part of the SU Tygerberg Medical Campus used for sport). GPR identified 6 potential grave targets in the Erf 24602 buffer zone, which were ground-truthed in January 2026 under a Heritage Western Cape (HWC) permit. The University said test excavations, witnessed by community members, Fortuin and Johannes Bastiaanse, failed to locate graves but confirmed the cemetery’s original extent is Erf 15349.