James Stevenson-Hamilton - Legacy

Legacy

Stevenson-Hamilton was dubbed “Skukuza” by the Tsonga Shangaans who lived on the reserve, meaning ‘the man who has turned everything upside down’ or ‘the man who swept clean’. This refers to his efforts towards eliminating poaching in the reserve and may also refer to the Tsonga peoples attitude towards him after he had evicted them out of what had been their territory. Sabie Bridge’s name was changed to Skukuza, the main camp in the park, in honour of him. Yet after his death “the old men of the kraals, some of whom he had sent to prison for poaching, said: ‘A great man has gone’”(Cartwright 1960). A bronze statue, created by the artist Phil Minnaar can be seen in Skukuza depicting Paul Kruger, Piet Grobler and Stevenson-Hamilton. The founding fathers of the park. The Stevenson-Hamilton library is also situated in Skukuza camp.

His legacy also contains a series of books of which he was the author, namely: A South African Eden (1937) Animal Life in Africa (1912) The Low-Veld; Its Wildlife and its People (1929) Wildlife in South Africa (1947) Yet perhaps the greatest legacy of James Stevenson-Hamilton cannot be depicted on paper. It can only be experienced on that piece of land to the east of Transvaal. His true legacy lies in the species the Kruger National Park has saved, the safety of the animals there against poaching, the enjoyment of the visitors and the natural beauty that he helped save.