Preserving South Africa’s rich heritage
Our unique heritage defines our cultural identity and shapes our national character
South Africa's rich heritage and melting pot of cultures needs to be preserved for the generations to come. Public servants play a critical role in preserving this heritage, by identifying sites of importance, protecting these sites and promoting them for the purposes of education and tourism.
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) is at the forefront of protecting heritage sites in the country.An agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, SAHRA is tasked with an overall legislative mandate to identify, assess, manage, protect and promote heritage resources.
South Africa currently boasts 10 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage sites, 25 national heritage sites and dozens of provincial heritage sites, celebrating our cultural, natural and historical heritage.
Nurturing a legacy
Nkosazana Machete, the Heritage Protection Manager at SAHRA,
explains that the agency fulfils the mandates of the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999.
“The Act aims to promote good management of the national estate, and to enable and encourage communities to nurture and conserve their legacy so that it may be bequeathed to future generations.”
The national estate includes sites of importance for national heritage, and is broken down into three categories: • Grade I: Heritage resources with qualities so exceptional that they are of special national significance. (For example, world heritage sites and national heritage sites).
Grade II: Heritage resources which, although forming part of the national estate, can be considered to have special qualities which make them significant within the context of a province or a region. (For example, provincial heritage sites).
Grade III: Other heritage resources worthy of conservation. (For example, historical artefacts that may not have particular heritage significance but which should still be preserved).
Machete explains why public servants and communities should conserve South Africa's colourful heritage.
“Our heritage is unique and precious, and it cannot be renewed. It helps us to define our cultural identity and therefore lies at the heart of our spiritual well-being. It has the potential to affirm our diverse cultures and in so doing, shape our national character.”
Machete adds that the painful realities of our past cannot be ignored when we speak about heritage.
“Our heritage celebrates our achievements and contributes to redressing past inequalities. It educates, deepens our understanding of society and encourages us to empathise with the experience of others. It facilitates healing and promotes new and previously neglected research into our rich oral traditions and customs.”
SAHRA is focusing on increasing representation of previously ignored groups in the national estate.
“Of particular interest is the recognition of Khoi and San heritage and recognising our female Struggle heroes. In 2020 we initiated the process of declaring the Winnie Mandela House in Brandfort, Free State, as a National Heritage Site. We are also declaring the Griqua Ratelgat Monument and Marietjie Jantjies Grave as a National Heritage Site,” Machete explains.
Overcoming threats to our heritage
Many of our heritage sites are under threat, for a number of reasons, including vandalism, theft and desecration.
“Community members destroy heritage sites by stealing fences, plaques or artefacts to sell for financial gain.
In other cases, statues which have some link to apartheid or colonialism are destroyed because of the anger associated with the imbalances of the past.There has also been a new trend where graves in the mining areas are dug out, we are not sure why,” says Machete.
Protecting against these threats is a task that is shared among national, provincial and local heritage resource authorities.
“Management of heritage sites cannot only be done on a national level. Officials at provincial and local levels are arguably more important for protecting heritage sites, as they are the ones that can best respond to threats to heritage sites.”
Public servants should help to protect and promote heritage.
Machete says that all public servants, even those not directly involved in heritage activities, can help to educate and inform communities.
“In particular, public servants need to visit our heritage sites with their families and friends to enjoy, and to educate the younger generations and teach them the importance of protecting them. In addition, public servants need to urgently report the destruction of heritage sites.”
SAHRA has a number of projects, in conjunction with other government departments, that aim to educate and protect heritage sites.
“For example, the World Heritage Sites have forums that include youth forums and management authorities that oversee the sites. SAHRA has also started a rural advocacy workshop, together with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of Tourism, for school pupils, teaching them about the heritage sites around them.”