This official monument enclosed the original stone cairn and was built in 1890 by the South African Republic (ZAR) to commemorate their independence from Great Britain.

During January 1877, a small British force of mounted policemen led by Sir Theophilus Shepstone crossed into the South African Republic and based himself in its capital, Pretoria.

[1] Another reason was the South African Republic's attempt to finance a railway to Delagoa Bay, bypassing the economic stranglehold by the British colonies in the Cape and Natal, but the ZAR was essentially bankrupt.

[1]: 181  Shepstone would play on the emotions of the people, as the inhabitants were not united and there was a dislike of their president, Thomas François Burgers, especially his handling of the problems with the Pedi.

[1]: 196 A mass gathering was proposed for 8 January 1881 at Paardekraal (now Krugersdorp) for the Transvaal Boers were a decision would be made as to how they should proceed, if at all to independence, but this date was brought forward to 8 December 1880.

[2]: 35  The meeting declared the restoration of the old Volksraad, and the government of the republic to be managed by three men, Paul Kruger, Piet Joubert and Marthinus Pretorius.

[2]: 35  A proclamation declaring independence was drawn-up by Eduard Bok and Dr. E. J. P. Jorissen stating the reasons for the actions in a thirty-eight clause document.

We established Natal, the Orange Free State and the South African Republic, and three times the English government has trampled on our liberty and dragged to the ground our flag, which our fathers had baptised with their blood and tears.

For that purpose it is that we have here come together and give each other the right hand as men and brethren, solemnly promising to remain faithful to our country and our people, and with our eyes fixed on God, to cooperate until death for the restoration of the freedom of our republic.

The first commemoration took place at the cairn in 1881 as a Volksfees, to celebrate the South African Republic's independence, gained from the British Empire after their defeat at the Battle of Majuba Hill and a peace treaty signed in August 1881, known as the Pretoria Convention.

[3]: 182  In 1889, the local Landrost Human, proposed to the South African Republic that a formal monument, in the form of an obelisk, be built on the cairn site.