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Heritage Sites

4th SAI (South African Scottish) World War 1 Memorial

Also known as World War 1 Memorial, Brixton Cemetery

Table of Contents

Last Updated: July 7, 2025
4th SAI WW1 Memorial 2 March 2025 Marc Latilla
4th SAI WW1 Memorial 3 March 2025 Marc Latilla
4th SAI WW1 Memorial back March 2025 Marc Latilla

About 4th SAI (South African Scottish) World War 1 Memorial

White marble panel 1550mm(W) x 920mm (H) /1120mm O/all H) x 50mm (T) resting on a large grey granite easel.

Address

Brixton Cemetery, near main entrance off Krause Street, Brixton, Johannesburg

History

Memorial to men who returned to South Africa after World War 1 and subsequently died as a result of wounds or disease.

Statement of Significance

People assume that the deaths resulting from World War 1 ended with the armistice, but the memorial is a reminder of the victims who lingered on only to die later. This is true of every war and the stone’s significance is a salutary reminder of that fact having a meaning beyond its specific tribute. It is unusual in being dedicated to those who died later. These men are sometimes included in a memorial (such as the one in the foyer of the City Hall) but to the best of our knowledge this was the only stone dedicated to those for whose lives could not be saved by the signing of a cease fire.

Inscription

The following inscription, originally in leaded letters, lies beneath the carved badge of the 4th SAI (South African Scottish): South African Scottish Regiment. 1915 - 1918 To Commemorate the Men from the Witwatersrand Of the South African Scottish Regiment Who, after Surviving the Perils of the Great War, Died on their Return from Active Service Overseas. This Stone is Erected by their Comrades Who Fought Side by Side with Them, Who Shared Their Trials and Their Triumphs And, Remembering with Pride and Affection Their Sterling Quantities as Soldiers and Men, Render this Tribute to their Memory.

Legal Status

Protected under Section 37 of the National Heritage Resources Act (Public Monuments and Memorials).  “Public monuments and memorials must, without the need to publish a notice to this effect, be protected in the same manner as places which are entered in a heritage register …”.  Since the South African Scottish Memorial is older than 60 years, it is also protected in terms of Section 34 of the same Act.

Photo courtesy: Kabelo Mokoena (Sunday Times)

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A culmination of research gathered over many years, the Online Johannesburg Heritage Register is being launched on Nelson Mandela Day 18 July 2025.

Among the many heritage sites featured is Chancellor House, the downtown offices of Mandela and Tambo Attorneys in the 1950s. After having been vacant and shuttered for more than a decade, this iconic building is being revived and brought to life once again as offices for the Community Development Department, which oversees the City’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Services.

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