During the South African Preservation and Conservation Group (SAPCON) conference held in Kimberley (25-28 July 2006) Mrs. Rina Wiid was invited to give a talk on items found on her farm, Doornbult near Hopetown in the Northern Cape.

These items included tins, bottles,
& personal belongings
dating back to the concentration camp
which was located on the farm
during the South African War (1899-1902).

Click here to view some of the items 
now preserved in the museum on location

The National Librarian of South Africa, Mr. John Tsebe, who attended the  SAPCON conference, offered the National Library’s help in assisting the Erfenisstigting (the Heritage Foundation) and Mrs Wiid in documenting various items found on the farm, as well as cataloging and photographing all the items still on the farm.

During November 2006 Mr. Eddy Phorie of the National Library traveled to Hopetown to assist the Erfenisstigting in photographing and documenting the items. Numbers were allocated to each item and a detailed description was entered into a register. It was also decided to refurbish the museum on the site.  

The Erfenisstigting, together with the Northern Cape office of the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), decided that a grave situated outside the official cemetery, as well as a refuse dump situated at the Orange River Station be excavated.

[See also: summary report of the archeological survey done] 

Prof Willem Boshoff  (UNISA), as representative of the Erfenisstigting, obtained a permit from SAHRA for the excavations.

SAHRA also insisted that a surface survey of the concentration camp site (approximately 4 km²) be done.

There was until this project started
no documentation of the thousands of artifacts scattered over this area.
These items were left as they were
after the war ended in 1902. 

In May 2007  Mr. Phorie traveled back to Hopetown to video tape and photograph the excavation of the grave and refuse dump.

Click here to view 
some of the excavation activities

The surface survey will be completed
in the second half of 2008.