The status of urban heritage conservation: competency of local government in the Western Cape Province

Date
2021-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA) (South Africa 1999) was promulgated in the efforts of establishing effective conservation principles that would meet the needs of all South Africans. The Act makes provision for each level of government to have authority over its respective heritage resources. Donaldson (2005) anticipated that the acting authority, Heritage Western Cape (HWC), was likely to come under pressure in the near future owing to the fact of increasing heritage resources (phenomenon of aging) and that the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority (PHRA) was in charge of both Grade II and III heritage resources due to the fact that no local municipality (LM) was deemed fully competent regarding local heritage resources. However, Jackson, Mofutsanyana & Mlungwana (2019) found that only two local governments (City of Cape Town and Drakenstein Municipality) had been granted partial competency of their respective built heritage resources. This research aimed to assess the capacity and competency of local government in the field of built heritage conservation of non-metropolitan municipalities in the Western Cape, South Africa. The several research objectives were identified; first, to devise or modify existing methods of assessment of capability and competency; second, to assess urban heritage conservation capability and competency of each LM in the Western Cape (excluding City of Cape Town); third, by doing this create a comprehensive matrix of the elements included in heritage conservation capabilities of local government, cities and towns selected, present an idea of the challenges faced by local governments in future heritage conservation, and more importantly produce a model with which any future research can assess such capabilities for any South African LM, city or town; last, it was necessary to investigate to see if identified local municipalities meet criteria set out by Heritage Western Cape, who may grant such an authority competency to perform functions in terms of the NHRA (1999). The research entails a literature review pertaining to cultural heritage conservation, the focus was on tangible heritage, primarily that of the built and urban environment and the compilation of data collected from questionnaires as well as municipal documents found in the public realm. A questionnaire survey was used as the primarily data collection tool. Questions were grouped according to categories. Due to the explorative nature of the research, open-ended questions allowed for themes to emerge. Considering only two of a potential 24 local municipalities showed evidence to be heritage competent, several recommendations would provide a variety of opportunities for progress towards competency. Given their varying circumstances, local municipalities could find suitable modes to gain authority of their respective local heritage resources. However, while the focus of these recommendations is primarily for local municipalities and their potential partners, they are not limited to these entities. Furthermore, the PHRA should put into motion efforts to either decentralise its current heritage conservation and management operations or allow for a devolution of power to local municipalities to take place. Additionally, the establishment of partnerships between constituents and the sharing of resources would greatly assist all parties involved. It is also recommended that heritage-focused volunteer organisations take a strong positioning in heritage conservation and that local municipalities make use of this resource as it is readily available. By forming lasting partnerships with organisations local municipalities can make a stronger presence in the public eye and make heritage more inclusive, as in line with the intentions as set out in the NHRA (South Africa 1999). Fulfilling the requirements as set out by the NHRA in sections 30(11) and 31(7) and the further conditions as made mandatory by the PHRA, several benefits would be realised for all parties involved. First, local municipalities would gain control over their Grade III built heritage resources. Second, HWC would have pressure reduced as they would have a decreased workload and could refocus resources. And last, if not most importantly, communities to which these resources belong, would have direct access to and benefit from them.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wet op Nasionale Erfenishulpbronne (NEHB) (Suid Afrika 1999) afgekondig in die poging om doeltreffende bewaringsbeginsels daar te stel wat aan die behoeftes van alle Suid-Afrikaners sal voorsien. Die wet maak voorsiening daarvoor dat elke regeringsvlak gesag het oor sy onderskeie erfenishulpbronne. Donaldson (2005) antisipeer dat die waarnemende owerheid, Erfenis Wes Kaap (EWK), waarskynlik in die nabye toekoms onder druk sou verkeer as gevolg van twee redes: eerstens, weens die toenemende erfenishulpbronne (die natuurlike verskynsel van veroudering), tweedens as gevolg van die Provinsiale Erfenis hulpbronowerheid (PEHO) wat in beheer van beide Graad II en III erfenishulpbronne was. Die beheer is van wee die feit dat geen plaaslike munisipaliteit ten volle bekwaam geag word rakende plaaslike erfenishulpbronne nie. Jackson, Mofutsanyana & Mlungwana (2019) het bevind dat slegs twee plaaslike regerings naamlik Die Stad Kaapstad en Drakenstein Munisipaliteit het hul bevoegde erfenishulpbronne gedeeltelik bygevoeg. Die navorsing het ten doel om die kapasiteit en bekwaamheid van die plaaslike regering op die gebied van bewaarde erfenisbewaring van nie-metropolitaanse munisipaliteite in die Wes-Kaap, Suid- Afrika, te bepaal. Die insamelings metodiek is deur middel van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsing. Die verskillende navorsingsdoelstellings is eerstens geïdentifiseer om bestaande metodes vir die assessering van vermoë en bekwaamheid te ontwerp of aan te pas. Tweedens, om die vermoë en bekwaamheid van stedelike erfenisbewaring en -bevoegdheid van elke plaaslike munisipaliteit in die Wes-Kaap te beoordeel (uitgesluit Stad Kaapstad). Die gevolg van die beoordeling is die skep van'n omvattende erfenis-matriks. Die elemente wat ingesluit word in die matriks is die erfenisbewaring vermoëns van die plaaslike regering, geselekteerde stede en dorpe. Dit is ten doel dat die matriks sal benadruk die uitdagings waarmee plaaslike regerings in die toekoms gekonfronteer kan word ten opsigte van erfenisbewaring. Die doelstelling is om n model te produseer waarmee enige toekomstige navorsing sulke vermoëns vir enige Suid-Afrikaanse plaaslike munisipaliteit, stad of dorp kan beoordeel. Laastens was dit nodig om te ondersoek of geïdentifiseerde plaaslike munisipaliteite voldoen aan die kriteria soos uiteengesit deur Erfenis Wes-Kaap, om sodoende plaaslike munisipaliteite wat erfgoedgebiede goedgekeur of voorgestel het, te identifiseer met die nodige beskermende bepalings ingevolge artikel 31(7) van die NEHB wet. Die navorsing het hoofsaaklik gefokus op die kapasiteit en bekwaamheid van plaaslike regerings in die Wes-Kaap en het rekening gehou met enige erfenisgerigte vrywilligersorganisasies wat in die omgewing werk. Die navorsing behels 'n literatuurstudie met betrekking tot die bewaring van kulturele erfenisse. Die fokus was op tasbare erfenis, hoofsaaklik dié van die beboude en stedelike omgewing en die samestelling van gegewens wat uit vraelyste versamel is, sowel as munisipale dokumente wat in die openbare publiek gevind is. ‘n Vraelys met kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe vrae is gebruik as die eerste data insameling. Vrae is volgens temas gegroepeer, met kwantitatiewe vrae wat opgevolg is met kwalitatiewe vrae. Vanweë die ondersoekende aard van die navorsing, het die kwalitatiewe vrae dit moontlik gemaak om temas na vore te bring. In ag genome dat slegs twee van die potensiële 24 plaaslike munisipaliteite bewys kon lewer dat hulle erfenisbevoeg is, sal die navorsings aanbevelings geleenthede bied om bevoegdheid te bevorder. Gegewe wisselende omstandighede, moes plaaslike munisipaliteite geskikte maniere vind om gesag te kry oor hul onderskeie plaaslike erfenishulpbronne. Alhoewel die fokus van hierdie aanbevelings hoofsaaklik op plaaslike munisipaliteite en hul potensiële vennote val, is dit nie eksklusief aan die entiteite nie. Vervolgens moet pogings aangewend word deur die (PEHO) om sy huidige erfenisbewaring en bestuursbedrywighede te desentraliseer of om toe te laat dat die mag aan plaaslike munisipaliteite oorgedra word. Die stigting van vennootskappe tussen kiesers, asook, deel van erfenis hulpbronne, onder andere, sal tot groot voordeel wees van alle betrokke partye. Daar word ook voorgestel dat erfenisgerigte vrywilligersorganisasies n meer prominente rol moet speel in die bewaring van erfenis dit het die gevolg dat plaaslike munisipaliteite vrywilligersorganisasies kan dan as hulpbron gebruik word en het die voordeel dat dit reeds beskikbaar en bekwaam is. Deur middel van volhoubare vennootskappe met organisasies, kan plaaslike munisipaliteite 'n sterker teenwoordigheid in die publieke opinie hê,erfenis kan gevolglik meer inklusief wees. Dit is dan ook in ooreenstemming met die bedoelings soos uiteengesit in die Wet op Nasionale Erfenishulpbronne (Suid Afrika 1999). n Aantal voordele, vir alle betrokke partye, kan realiseer as daar aan die vereistes voldoen word soos uiteengesit deur die NEHB wet, met spesifieke verwysing na artikels 30 (11) en 31 (7), asook die verdere voorwaardessoos voorgeskryf deur die PEHO. Ten eerste, sal plaaslike munisipaliteite beheer kry oor hul Graad III - geboude erfenishulpbronne. Tweedens sal die druk op Erfenis Wes- Kaap verminder aangesien daar n vermindere werkslading op Erfenis Wes-Kaap sal wees. Die gevolg is dat Erfenis Wes-Kaap hulle aandag op meer sensitiewe erfenis gebiede kan vestig. Laastens en heel moontlik die belangrikste voordeel, wat voorsien word, is dat gemeenskappe, waaraan die erfenis hulpbronne behoort, direkte toegang tot hulpbronne sal hê en daarby baat vind om inklusief betrokke te wees.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Cultural property -- Protection -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Historic sites -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Architecture -- Conservation and restoration -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Cape Town Heritage Trust (South Africa), Municipal government -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Cultural property -- Protection -- Law and legislation -- South Africa -- Western Cape, UCTD
Citation