Minister Dean Macpherson welcomes DPWI’s restoration of Delville Wood Memorial ahead of 110th commemoration

• Public Works & Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson welcomed the repair and restoration work undertaken by the Department at the South African National Memorial and Commemorative Museum at Delville Wood in Longueval, France.
• The work included repairing damaged paving and chapel ceilings, restoring the altar stone, cleaning the memorial stonework, maintaining the oak trees leading to the memorial and installing a UNESCO World Heritage Site plaque.
• Minister Macpherson said South Africa has a responsibility to ensure that its national memorials preserve the memory of all South Africans who served and died during the First World War with dignity and respect.

The Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, welcomed the repair and restoration work undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure at the South African National Memorial and Commemorative Museum at Delville Wood in Longueval, France, ahead of the 110th commemoration of the Battle of Delville Wood this past Sunday.

The Minister joined President Cyril Ramaphosa at the commemoration honouring the courage and sacrifice of the South African soldiers who fought there during the First World War.

Preparations to restore the memorial began two years ago after adverse weather conditions caused significant deterioration to parts of the historic site. The recently completed work included repairs to damaged paving stones, ceilings in the memorial chapels and the altar stone dedicated to South Africans who served during the Second World War. The Department also cleaned the memorial stonework, removed dead and dangerous branches from the 72 oak trees lining the approach to the memorial and installed a plaque recognising the site’s inclusion as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cosmetic restoration was completed and handed over to the Department on 15 June 2026, ahead of the commemoration.

“Standing at Delville Wood is a deeply moving experience. More than a century later, the shell craters and trenches remain etched into the ground, while one surviving tree still bears the scars of the bombardment. They are lasting reminders of the bravery of the young South Africans who were ordered to hold the wood at all costs and who continued fighting under unimaginable conditions,” Minister Macpherson said.

“As the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure, our responsibility is to ensure that this memorial is maintained with the dignity and respect owed to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I am proud of the work undertaken by the Department within tight timelines to restore the site ahead of this important commemoration and to ensure that it remains a place where future generations can learn about and reflect on this history.”

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is responsible for the management and maintenance of the state-owned property and facilities associated with the Delville Wood commemorative site. It also provided temporary infrastructure and related logistical services required for the 110th anniversary commemoration.

Minister Macpherson thanked the Department’s Prestige Unit and officials involved in the restoration who had been stationed at the site since February to oversee the Department’s preparations. He added that the work undertaken at the commemorative museum was also helping to present a more inclusive account of the contribution and sacrifice of South Africans during the First World War, including members of the South African Native Labour Corps, those who died in the sinking of the SS Mendi and those who served in the Cape Corps.

“The memory preserved at Delville Wood must be the memory of all South Africans who served and sacrificed. Their experiences may have been different, and they were not always recognised equally, but each of their stories forms part of our national history. We will continue working with our partner departments and the relevant authorities in France to protect this sacred site and preserve the memory of those who gave their lives in the pursuit of freedom and liberty.”

Enquiries:
James de Villiers
Spokesperson to Minister Macpherson
Cell: 082 766 0276
E-mail: james.devilliers@dpw.gov.za

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