MAZEPPA BAY, EASTERN CAPE – A new chapter in the unique historical connection between South Africa and Ukraine will be unveiled at The View Mazeppa Bay Hotel with the installation of a dedicated information sign. This initiative, a partnership between the hotel, the Ukrainian Association of South Africa (UAZA), and the Embassy of Ukraine, aims to boost tourism and local development while deeply respecting the land and its people.
The event will begin by honouring the profound heritage of the Wild Coast. Local community leaders and elders will share stories of centuries of Xhosa stewardship, resilience through the frontier wars and the apartheid-era Transkei system, and a continuous struggle for freedom and identity.
The new sign celebrates the unusual link between the two nations. It features the story of the Mazeppa schooner—which gave the bay its name—alongside a portrait of its namesake, the 17th-century Ukrainian leader Ivan Mazepa. Though Mazepa never visited South Africa, his legacy sailed into local history through maritime lore and poetry. A powerful symbol of unity, the word “Freedom” is inscribed on the sign in all 11 official South African languages and in Ukrainian.
“Ivan Mazepa is an important figure in Ukrainian history, associated with freedom, education, and the fight for independence. It is a privilege to place his story alongside the proud history of the Eastern Cape people who have safeguarded this land for generations,” said Kateryna Alioshyna, President of UAZA.
The partners have committed to ensuring that the growth in tourism directly benefits the Mnquma community through job creation, skills development, and cultural preservation.
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This commitment is already being realised by prominent Mthatha businesswoman Judy Jennings, who has been revitalising the hotel since 2024. “I am dedicated to uplifting the area and creating more employment. Our region’s beauty and heritage are our greatest assets,” Jennings stated.
The event echoes the words of Nelson Mandela: “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” By weaving together these two distinct histories of resistance, the project honours the dignity of the Eastern Cape while celebrating a shared ideal that connects two nations across the seas.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
