Cathie Morant, a distant relative of Morant, has been lobbying the council since August 2021 to add the executed soldier’s name to the list of fallen inscribed on the prominent South African War Memorial on the corner of North Terrace and King William Street.

The state heritage listed memorial – built in 1904 with public funds and featuring a soldier on horseback atop a 3.7 metre high granite pedestal – holds the names of 60 South Australian soldiers who died in the Boer War.

Harry Morant was court-martialled and executed in 1902 for shooting Boer prisoners while serving with the British Army’s Bushveldt Carbineers. Prior to that, he served briefly with the 2nd South Australian Mounted Rifles.

His life and legacy have been the subject of widespread academic and public interest and was popularised by the 1980 Australian war drama, Breaker Morant.

The council last night heard a deputation from Adam Pearce, a private practice lawyer representing Cathie Morant, who urged “action be taken to expedite council’s determination” on whether to add Morant to the Boer War Memorial.

He criticised the council for a “considerable delay” in making a decision.

“I’m seeking elected members express their frustration at the delay, that they ask that public consultation be undertaken to assist in the determination, and to obtain a date from council as to when a determination will be made,” he told councillors last night.

Pearce argued that the memorial “exists solely to recognise those who served in an SA contingent”.

“Morant’s selfless and distinguished service in the SA contingent should be acknowledged by including him on the memorial,” he said.

“The fact that Morant was executed for his conduct in the British contingent does not expunge his previous service or his eligibility to be listed on this memorial.”

The Boer War Memorial on the corner of North Terrace and King William St. Photo: Thomas Kelsall/InDaily

He also cited research from historian and South Australian Boer War Association president Tony Stimson that identified 23 other individuals from South Australia who died in the Boer War and are not listed on the memorial.

Pearce said there was “no expressed evidence” why those soldiers along with Morant should not be included.

“The only fair approach is to recognise the requirement to be on a memorial is completely objective: serving in an SA contingent and risking one’s life,” he said.

Pearce added that if it was not possible from an engineering perspective to include the additional names, a separate plaque should be created.

Lord mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said the council would respond to Pearce in writing.

But the council later unanimously passed a motion from North Ward councillor and deputy mayor Phillip Martin asking the council administration to provide a report “on the alterations requested by the deputation, including any issues that may arise from acceding to the proposal”.

“I have read of the concerns of the family of ‘Breaker’ Morant, and I’ve read equally of reports of people expressing a contrary view,” Martin told councillors last night.

“And I make no comment on that… but I do think we need further information to be able to make a decision.”

Photo: Thomas Kelsall/InDaily

The names of Boer War soldiers on South Australia’s memorial to those who died in the conflict. Photo: Thomas Kelsall/InDaily

Martin said councillors needed to know “whether there are any issues that we need to be aware of, particularly protocols in relation to memorials”.

“I’d like to understand all of the attendant issues and perhaps in proposing this, the administration could bring something to us… which would allow us to further explore the matter and hopefully then determine how council deals with it,” he said.

The calls to add Morant’s name to the memorial have long been opposed by the South Australian Boer War Association.

Association president and historian Dr Tony Stimson, who wrote for InDaily in 2021 about his opposition to Morant’s name being added, said the Australian War Memorial considers Morant to be a war criminal.

“To put the name of someone – who a national authority on these matters, the Australian War Memorial, considers a war criminal – on that memorial would dishonour the men who are already on that,” he said.

Stimson also said the memorial was “a historic object in its own right” and argued adding other names would “make a significant alternation to an existing cultural monument”.

He said he would “relish the chance” to make a deputation before the council.