Some places become so familiar to us that we forget to ask what happened there before we walked through its doors. Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban is one of them.
Amar Preciado / Pexels / Illustrative purposes only
The historic sporting ground has been declared a Provincial Heritage Site by the KwaZulu-Natal Amafa and Research Institute, officially recognising its significance in the sporting, social and political history of the province.
For generations, Curries Fountain represented more than just a place to watch a sporting match. Officially designated as a sports ground in 1924, its history goes back further. Its name was inspired by a water source established by H.W. Currie in 1878. Over the decades, the grounds became an important gathering place for Durban’s communities, hosting sporting events, recreational activities, political meetings and public gatherings.
Its significance grew notably during the apartheid era, when sport became connected to the fight against racial segregation. Curries Fountain became a place of hope, a space of equality and a home for non-racial sport. It played a vital role in allowing communities to unite at a time when South Africa was being deliberately divided.
Soccer, in particular, became central to the stadium’s identity. But the crowds that filled the stadium were not always there simply for the game. The stadium also became associated with political organising and resistance, particularly from the 1970s to the early 1990s. As South Africa fought towards democracy, Curries Fountain continued to serve as a gathering place for political organisations and communities.
This layered history is what makes the heritage declaration significant.
According to KwaZulu-Natal Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Mntomuhle Khawula, Curries Fountain reflects the experiences of communities who faced racial exclusion and demonstrates how sporting spaces could become places of identity, perseverance and resistance.
It’s a gentle reminder that heritage doesn’t always come in the form of grand buildings or monuments. Sometimes, it’s the memory of a match watched from the stands, with the feeling in the crowd heady with acceptance. Or it’s a political gathering attended by thousands, choosing to be brave at a time when bravery could cost so much.
Curries Fountain continues to serve as a communal space today, but its official heritage status means that the stories attached to it will now receive greater protection for future generations. For Durban, and for the people of South Africa, that matters.
Source (IOL)
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