The City’s Environmental Management Department has updated its Heritage booklet to provide the public with detailed information about the heritage resources that the City protects and manages, as imposed on all local authorities in terms of the National Heritage Act, (NHRA) 25 of 1999. The booklet serves as a general guide on the protection and management of our valuable heritage resources, and this is the first of a series of updates.
Heritage is our legacy from the past which we remember, celebrate, nurture and preserve to pass on to future generations. It defines our cultural identity, it is unique, valuable, non-renewable, has lasting value and provides evidence of the origins of South African society.
‘Cape Town has a rich heritage that is connected to who we are, and as the local government, we are committed to ensuring that our diverse cultural heritage is protected and enhanced. What we do now impacts on the future of these resources. Once a heritage resource has been lost to demolition, or has been irreversibly damaged or altered, it can never be reinstated. Thus, we are doing all we can to retain our heritage resources as far as possible,’ said the City Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Marian Nieuwoudt.
We do so by:
- recognising the rich cultural history of Cape Town;
- recognising all cultures and traditions represented in Cape Town; and
- taking into account cultural values, sites and landscapes of historical significance, as well as areas of scenic beauty and places of spiritual importance, during planning and decision making in development application processes.
The process of heritage resource management consists of legal requirements and regulations to ensure that our cultural heritage resources are managed and protected for the benefit of future generations, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
These processes are often confusing and frustrating to the public, and for that reason the heritage brochure has been updated. Since the first brochures appeared in 2005, our zoning scheme and municipal by-laws have undergone considerable changes.
The new booklet will serve as an extension to the existing Development Management Information (DMI) Series. It addresses the heritage related aspects of the various applications that are processed by the Development Management Department. It also explains why heritage resources should be protected and how these protections are managed.
Often, people think that ‘heritage’ refers only to historical buildings, monuments or statues. In reality, heritage resources comprises so much more. They celebrate our different roots, and form an integral part of our identity. Heritage includes cultural, as well as natural heritage resources inherited and valued by society. These can be any place, space or object that has cultural significance or special value to present communities, and should be protected for the benefit of future generations.
‘Visiting heritage sites with your children will teach them about their legacy, and in Cape Town, there is an abundance of cultural and natural resources to explore and enjoy,’ said Alderman Nieuwoudt.
These include the historic settlement in Bo-Kaap, Langa Pass office and the Natural World Heritage site, Table Mountain, to name but a few.
‘Education and tourism form a major part of heritage resource management because, as an inclusive city, we want to ensure that we respect the diverse heritage of different communities and events. Also, we want to encourage our residents to cherish our built environment and the cultural landscapes surrounding us for generations to come,’ said Alderman Nieuwoudt.
Heritage resource management within the metropolitan municipality of Cape Town is applicable from Cape Point in the south-west, to Gordon’s Bay and Somerset West in the south-east, and Atlantis in the North, including Robben Island.
The booklet can be downloaded here: Heritage Resources Brochure. It can also found on the following pages: