MENDI FOUNDATION

Stichting Mendi foundation

On the team

Mark Sijlmans

Board Member of the Mendi Foundation – Secretary

In 2013 I started researching the men who were killed during the Great War and are buried at the General Cemetery in my hometown, Noordwijk, in the Netherlands. I wanted to find out more about these men buried just one kilometre from my home. Where exactly did they come from; why did they decide to come to Europe; did they have wives and children, were there still relatives back in Africa who could tell stories about these men? My research finally resulted in finding of Private Sikaniso Mtolo’s grandsons.

Now that they know where their grandfather rests, they say they need to honour his spirit. Back in South Africa, the family has done everything it could to get his spirit back following local customs. But nothing worked. They say Sikaniso’s spirit still has no rest. And nor have they. These grandsons have only one option left, and that is to come to Noordwijk and ask his spirit to come back with them to Kwazulu-Natal.

I now feel it is our obligation to help these grandsons visit the grave of their grandfather. By informing them of their grandfather’s grave, my curiosity has caused unrest in the Mtolo family. This is what motivated me to take on the task of secretary of this foundation.

On the team

Zeb Ngobese

Chairman of the Mendi Foundation

I graduated from the Durban University of Technology (DUT) with a degree in Theatre and Drama studies in 2004. I soon moved to Johannesburg to begin my career in television and film as a cinematographer and director. Based in South Africa, I worked for numerous broadcasters such as National Geographic, M-net and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, to name but the few. Producitons included ‘Survivor South Africa’, ‘Master chef South Africa’ and ‘Hyena Coast’.

I moved to the Netherlands in 2013, where I have collaborated with a number of independent filmmakers shooting short and feature film. I am currently working on the production of the documentary of the servicemen who perished when the SS Mendi sunk in the English Channel during the Great War. The stories of these men need to be documented and seen through the eyes of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It is for this reason that we have established Mendi Foundation.

On the team

Mark Sijlmans

Board Member of the Mendi Foundation – Secretary

In 2013 I started researching the men who were killed during the Great War and are buried at the General Cemetery in my hometown, Noordwijk, in the Netherlands. I wanted to find out more about these men buried just one kilometre from my home. Where exactly did they come from; why did they decide to come to Europe; did they have wives and children, were there still relatives back in Africa who could tell stories about these men? My research finally resulted in finding of Private Sikaniso Mtolo’s grandsons.

Now that they know where their grandfather rests, they say they need to honour his spirit. Back in South Africa, the family has done everything it could to get his spirit back following local customs. But nothing worked. They say Sikaniso’s spirit still has no rest. And nor have they. These grandsons have only one option left, and that is to come to Noordwijk and ask his spirit to come back with them to Kwazulu-Natal.

I now feel it is our obligation to help these grandsons visit the grave of their grandfather. By informing them of their grandfather’s grave, my curiosity has caused unrest in the Mtolo family. This is what motivated me to take on the task of secretary of this foundation.

Zeb Ngobese

Chairman of the Mendi Foundation

I graduated from the Durban University of Technology (DUT) with a degree in Theatre and Drama studies in 2004. I soon moved to Johannesburg to begin my career in television and film as a cinematographer and director. Based in South Africa, I worked for numerous broadcasters such as National Geographic, M-net and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, to name but the few. Producitons included ‘Survivor South Africa’, ‘Master chef South Africa’ and ‘Hyena Coast’.

I moved to the Netherlands in 2013, where I have collaborated with a number of independent filmmakers shooting short and feature film. I am currently working on the production of the documentary of the servicemen who perished when the SS Mendi sunk in the English Channel during the Great War. The stories of these men need to be documented and seen through the eyes of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It is for this reason that we have established Mendi Foundation.