Breaking Ground for a New Temple in South Africa

A view of part of the crowd gathered at the Durban Temple site for the groundbreaking and dedication of the land on Saturday, 9 April. On the left is the VIP tent where dignitaries and Church leaders sat in the shade. The center tent is where the podium was, and the Area Presidency and program participants, speakers and prayers. On the right is the choir's tent,  and behind it the technology tent where the ceremony was telecast live around the world over the Internet.

 

View of green rolling hills from the Durban Temple Site looking north toward the airport at the N2 Freeway

On the 9th of April, ground was broken to begin construction on the site for Durban South Africa Temple and the ground was dedicated by Africa Southeast Area President, Elder Carl B. Cook. We were blessed that Elder Cook invited us to attend, and we drove over that morning, about a 5-hour drive, with the Area Executive Secretary, Elder Chuck Walton and Sister Liz Walton. As we waited for the crowd to arrive (somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 saints from the temple district and invited dignitaries and guests), we shaded ourselves from the hot sun with parasols. It was a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures in the mid-80's F. 

 

Elder Cook speaks about the temple before

pronouncing the dedicatory prayer on the land,

stating, "Today the ceremonial shovels will turn 

the soil, and the construction of the temple will 

begin. We can likewise begin building. We can

build our personal lives in preparation for the

temple. Today we can increase our faith, we can

increase our obedience to God and serve him

more fully."





The choir sings at the Groundbreaking

The Area Presidency and VIPs gather to turn the soil after the dedicatory prayer



Prince Buthelezi, son of a Zulu king and prominent politician in the Kwa Zulu

Natal Province of South Africa reads a beautiful message to the Area Presidency

and dignitaries before breaking the ground to signify the start of construction.

Turning the soil are, left to right, Ms. Frances Chisholm, US Consul General; Zulu Prince Dr. Mangosuthu Buthelezi, son of a Zulu king and a South African politician; Elder Carl Cook, Africa Southeast Area President; and Sister Lynette Cook

 

The Durban and Durban Hillcrest Stake Presidents and their wives and families take a turn with the ceremonial shovels

We even got a chance to do some shovel work at the Groundbreaking with help to show us where to dig

Standing at the future site of the Durban Temple on Umhlanga Ridge

It was a quick trip to Durban and back, but we loved every minute of it, even though we and the Waltons were out late the night before at a fabulous Josh Groban concert at the Coca Cola dome with 20,000 enthusiastic fans who were treated to an amazing concert. He included a talented South African soprano and a wonderful native youth choir, with colorful costumes and choreography, on the program.




After the dedication, we ate dinner at the Cape Town Fish Market in the Gateway Mall, next to our hotel on Umhlanga Ridge. 


           

We attended Church Sunday at the Berea Ward on our way out of town, where two of Bob's missionaries were attending, along with many visitors, including Elder Khumbelani Mdletshe of the Seventy, who presided and spoke in sacrament meeting.

Bob and two of his SACTM missionaries, Werner Heydenrych

and Paul Kriel at the Berea Ward in Durban on Sunday

As the temple nears completion, in 2018, open house dates will be announced. Today there are more than 61,000 Latter-day Saints in South Africa. The first temple in the country was completed in 1985 in Johannesburg.

The Church currently has 150 operating temples, with another 27 announced or under construction. The Church has three operating temples in Africa (Aba, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; and Johannesburg), one under construction (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo) and three more announced (Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Durban, South Africa; and Harare, Zimbabwe).