What’s in a tooth?
A lot, actually, when it comes to proving where a person lived more than a century ago.
This has become one of several sticking points in an ongoing controversy that has left the remains of nine human beings in limbo amid an ancestral claims clash.
The House of Klaas and David Stuurman (HKDS) in the Eastern Cape put a stop to what was meant to be a landmark restitution case when the bodies of nine farm labourers — unethically donated to the University of Cape Town a century ago — were about to be reburied in the Northern Cape after a community consultation process that took several years to complete and which included Stuurman families (and the related Abrahams family) from across the land.
A medical student living on a farm near Sutherland in the Northern Cape had dug them up, and the unethical nature of the donation was discovered by UCT researcher Victoria Gibbon when she was digitising the bone collection records.
The department of sports, art and culture is yet to produce its final report, though the graves were prepared for reburial back in 2019.
Edmund Stuurman, speaking on behalf of the HKDS, said the body of one deceased — also called Klaas Stuurman — should be buried in the Eastern Cape.
“Unless someone can prove otherwise, even before colonial times, the Stuurman origin was the Gamtoos Valley in the Eastern Cape ... During that time of the commando system, they were busy with human trafficking.”
A study of the body’s teeth, however, showed the individual never lived in the Eastern Cape.
Oral histories and the archival record also show the Northern Cape as the place where Klaas Stuurman spent his life, before and after being captured by commandos.
Elijah Moholola, speaking on behalf of UCT, said: “Analyses of the chemical composition [stable isotope ratios] of the teeth and bones of all individuals were completed. These indicate the diet the person ate in life. Since people in those days ate mainly locally grown food, they also reflect the environment in which they lived. All of the Sutherland Nine have isotopic values indicating that they lived all their lives in a hot, dry region. In addition, the analysis indicates they lived in a region which had small amounts of rain, mainly winter rain. This is very different from the isotopic values seen in the Eastern Cape.”
He added: “The archival records also state that Klaas Stuurman came from the area between Sutherland and Carnarvon.”
If there is no DNA testing to prove familial ties, then how do you know they are the descendants
— Edmund Stuurman
Stuurman said: “A lot of history is coming out of the Eastern Cape, but UCT and those involved don’t want to marry science with history. Klaas Stuurman had a family and he had to come from somewhere and that somewhere might have been the Eastern Cape.”
The HKDS claims UCT undertook to do DNA testing to ascertain lineages with the living, but the university denies this.
“If there is no DNA testing to prove familial ties, then how do you know they are the descendants?” said Stuurman.
“UCT did not at any stage commit to conducting DNA from living persons. The university only conducted ancient DNA analysis among the Sutherland Nine to determine their genetic relationships to each other.”
Moholola said the university stated “on several occasions, including to the HKDS”, that the research team does not “support the use of DNA to trace direct and closest ancestry to human remains as part of restitution processes”.
This is because “after a few generations, direct lines of descent are not always reflected in the genome”.
“Genetic mixing in every generation means that some sections of the parents' genes are not handed down to their children. This is particularly important to remember when dealing with ancient DNA which represents DNA from multiple generations ago,” Moholola said.
Also, all ancient DNA analysis has to be done outside the African continent, and there are numerous ethical considerations around this.
“This would be a very concerning and expensive precedent to set for future restitution processes in SA,” said Moholola.
He said oral history connects the individuals to the living descendants.
UCT also refutes claims that the HKDS was excluded from the consultative process. Stuurman claims they were excluded and “sent from pillar to post”.
There are four Stuurman family groups across the country — in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and two in the Eastern Cape — and documents show consultation with all four of them.
“The HKDS came forward as stakeholders in April 2019. Shortly thereafter, UCT invited the Eastern Cape Stuurmans on four occasions to engage on the matter, of which three were declined. Since the first meeting between UCT and the HKDS on October 2 2019, there have been at least three other engagements where the HKDS were involved, including the most recent mediation process in 2022 facilitated by an external mediator, where there were extensive engagements,” said Moholola.
The external mediator, Terance Fife from Rural Development Services, was contacted by TimesLIVE Premium.
He was appointed after the HKDS had escalated their claim to the presidency.
He said he cannot disclose the recommendation of the final report and recommendation submitted to the department of sports, art and culture, but confirmed the process took place in September last year.
In an affidavit signed by delegates of the Stuurman families in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and others in the Eastern Cape (not HKDS), it says: “We would like to express our full support for the reburial of the sacred remains of the Abrahams and Stuurman families in Sutherland. We are satisfied that the process ... was sincere, credible, transparent and the correct one.”
The preliminary report, in TimesLIVE Premium's possession, recommends “all nine remains be buried in Sutherland at a place to be determined by the Stuurman family representatives, including those families living in Sutherland”.
It also recommends the HKDS be included in the burial ceremony in Sutherland and that a memorial be erected in both provinces.
Masechaba Khumalo, speaking on behalf of the department of sports, art and culture, said: “Our department received the final mediation report with the mediator Mr Fife's recommendation in November last year. The report is currently being prepared for consideration by the minister and will be passed on to the minister in the next two weeks.”
After that, “it will be shared with the different stakeholders once the minister has gone through it and made a decision”.
She added: “DSAC has to carefully consider and process the report before tabling it to the ministry along with recommendations on a way forward.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.