After more than a century of neglect, hundreds of South African servicemen—mostly black—who lost their lives during World War One have been honored with a new memorial in Cape Town.

A total of 1,772 men, who served in hazardous and exhausting non-combatant roles in East Africa, had remained without graves or formal recognition until now. The newly unveiled memorial features individually engraved timber posts bearing each serviceman’s name.

Princess Anne, president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), inaugurated the memorial in a poignant ceremony attended by the servicemen’s relatives.

In 2021, the UK issued an apology after a report attributed the failure to properly commemorate at least 100,000 black and Asian troops to "pervasive racism."

Families of the fallen soldiers expressed pride and joy at seeing their contributions finally acknowledged through the Cape Town Labour Corps Memorial.

The servicemen had worked as porters, wagon drivers, and railway laborers. Among those honored was Bhesengile Delihlazo, a driver who passed away on January 21, 1917.

His great-nephew, Elliot Malunga Delihlazo, shared that while the exact location of his ancestor’s death remains unknown, the family was relieved to at least learn the date. Though the serviceman had already been privately commemorated with a memorial stone at his homestead, his relative remarked: "It makes us proud that at last, we can be one of the families remembered in the course of history."

O

A total of 1,772 men, who served in hazardous and exhausting non-combatant roles in East Africa, had remained without graves or formal recognition until now. The newly unveiled memorial features individually engraved timber posts bearing each serviceman’s name.

Princess Anne, president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), inaugurated the memorial in a poignant ceremony attended by the servicemen’s relatives.

In 2021, the UK issued an apology after a report attributed the failure to properly commemorate at least 100,000 black and Asian troops to "pervasive racism."

Families of the fallen soldiers expressed pride and joy at seeing their contributions finally acknowledged through the Cape Town Labour Corps Memorial.

The servicemen had worked as porters, wagon drivers, and railway laborers. Among those honored was Bhesengile Delihlazo, a driver who passed away on January 21, 1917.

His great-nephew, Elliot Malunga Delihlazo, shared that while the exact location of his ancestor’s death remains unknown, the family was relieved to at least learn the date. Though the serviceman had already been privately commemorated with a memorial stone at his homestead, his relative remarked