▁mem orial ▁service ▁is ▁tradition ally ▁held ▁here ▁in ▁May . ▁ ▁The ▁mem orial ▁was ▁un ve iled ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁by ▁State ▁President ▁of ▁South ▁Africa , ▁Charles ▁Rob berts ▁Sw art . ▁The ▁un ve iling ▁ceremony ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁ 5 0 0 0 ▁people . ▁ ▁History ▁During ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁SA AF ▁Association ▁under to ok ▁to ▁bear ▁all ▁costs ▁for ▁the ▁ere ction ▁and ▁maintenance ▁of ▁the ▁Memorial . ▁The ▁National ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁SA AF ▁Association ▁decided ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁to ▁proceed ▁with ▁fund - ra ising . ▁The ▁total ▁project ed ▁budget ▁for ▁the ▁ere ction ▁was ▁R 3 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁N EC ▁recorded ▁its ▁requirements ▁at ▁a ▁resolution ▁taken ▁on ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁The ▁P ret oria ▁Branch ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁was ▁then ▁approached ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁Memorial ▁ere cted ▁and ▁inaugur ated ▁on ▁May ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁A ▁sub - comm ittee ▁consisting ▁of ▁Col ▁H B ▁George , ▁J ock ▁Re id ▁and ▁R F ▁Bell ▁( conv ener ) ▁was ▁appointed . ▁Other ▁members ▁who ▁became ▁closely ▁involved ▁in ▁various ▁capac ities ▁were ▁Norm ie ▁Mac Ro bert , ▁Dr ▁John ▁Le pp an , ▁Reg ▁Den nett , ▁and ▁Dave ▁H ast ie . ▁ ▁An ▁architect ural ▁design ▁competition , ▁run ▁by ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁South ▁African