Cultural councils for Eastern Cape

The Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) earlier this month officially inaugurated three cultural councils: the Eastern Cape Provincial Heritage Resources Authority (ECPHRA) Council, Eastern Cape Provincial Archives and Records Services Council (ECPARSC) and the Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (ECPGNC).

The event, held in East London, had the theme, “Promoting reconciliation, social cohesion and nation building through proper management and care of heritage resources as well as archival records of non-governmental, provincial and local government bodies, and through standardisation of geographical names.”

The re-establishment of these councils was an attempt to ensure the con- tinued identification, management, conservation and promoting of heritage resources in the Eastern Cape Province, the Department said.

Outgoing ECPGNC chairperson, Samkelo Janda said they had standardised 78 names that were submitted and approved by the Minister of Arts and Culture.

He said, “The transformation and standardisation of geographical names is not an easy process because it is always marred with resistance, emotions, tensions and conflicts from the section that is against the principle of name change.

“The reasons... are understandable particularly in a big province like the Eastern Cape which is so diverse in terms of its cultural heritage.”

Members of the three cultural councils are appointed by MEC Pemmy Majodina in terms of Section 23 of the National Heritage Resources Act (Act No. 25 of 1999), Section 6 of the Provincial Archives & Records Services Act (Act No 7 of 2003) and Section 2 (2)(a) of the South African Geographical Names Council Act (Act No. 118 of 1998).

The Acts stipulate the number of members that should compose a council and the term of office for the council members.