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Master of Ceremonies, Your Grace Bishop Biyase, your Majesty our King, Honourable Deputy President Mr J G Zuma, Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology Dr B S Ngubane, Honourable Ministers Prince G L Zulu, Rev. CJ Mtetwa, J S Ndebele, E E N KaNkosi Shandu and other provincial ministers, members of the Diplomatic Corps, members of the Consular Corps, members of the royal family, amakhosi and local government leaders, members of the clergy, government officials, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I was privileged to participate in the conceptualisation, design and launch of this project on 16 December 1998. We are proud of the fact that we contributed in our small way to the re-interpretation of the Zulu Boer War of 16 December 1838. Posterity will benefit immensely from this museum situated on the KwaMathambo side of the Ncome River. We hope that the tree-planting ceremony will give the final seal to this legacy project.

The famous author, Arthur Koestler observed that "The most persistent sound reverberating through man's history is the beating of war drums". One of the tragedies mankind's history is that it has been etched by the blood of soldiers and warriors. At the same time one of the triumphs of history is that great nations have been built as former foes have reconciled and joined hands to build a shared future.

When one looks at Europe, at India, China, the United States and many other regions we see the results of reconciliation after bloodshed. Cynics have remarked that humans are fated to make progress on the bones of fallen enemies and comrades. But this is a principle that is too bitter to accept. We must rather cling to the belief that peace and reconciliation have emerged after people have experienced the bitter lessons of war, and that nations have been built, not as the consequence of war, but as the consequence of determination to avoid war and conflict.

If we are to learn these lessons, it means that the wars of the past must not be forgotten. They should not be romanticised, but they should live on in our memories, lest we forget just how terrible war can be. We can only make our country strong and safe from war and conflict if we can convey to those who were lucky enough not to be involved in war, what they should be grateful for.

This is the proper function of history and equally, it is the proper function of museums and monuments about war.

Ladies and Gentlemen, today we are gathered here to open a museum which will display the facts and the emotions aroused by one of the more significant wars in our own history of conflict. This museum will have, as its highest calling the duty to remind us that we have a duty to peace and reconciliation. This museum is no dusty collection of artefacts. It is here to teach us how to build a peaceful future.

With these few words I would like to welcome you all here today. I welcome you to an opportunity to reflect on the past to equip us for the future.

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