SAHRA-Annual-Report-2007.Pdf
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SAHRA Ann Rep Cover 2007 repro Monday, August 27, 2007 1:21:22 PM Table of Contents SAHRA’S VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT 2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRPERSON 3 THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S FOREWORD AND MESSAGE 4 APPLICABLE ACTS AND OTHER INFORMATION 7 STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY 8 CORPORATE AFFAIRS 9 Human Resources Management 10 Information and Auxiliary Services 25 HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 27 Head Office Units Archaeology, Palaeontology and Meteorites Unit 28 Architectural Heritage Landscape Unit 34 Burial Grounds and Graves Unit 38 Grading and Declarations Unit 44 Heritage Objects Unit 48 Living Heritage Unit 54 Maritime Archaeology Unit 62 National Inventory Unit 72 Provincial Offices Eastern Cape 76 Free State 80 Gauteng 80 Kwa-Zulu Natal 92 Limpopo 94 Mpumalanga 98 North West 102 Northern Cape 110 Western Cape 116 LEGAL UNIT 128 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 131 SAHRA OFFICES AND STAFF 161 SAHRA’S VISION SAHRA’s vision is to provide for the identification, conservation, protection and promotion of our heritage resources for present and future generations. SAHRA’S MISSION As custodians of our national estate our mission is: ° to coordinate and monitor the identification of our national heritage resources; ° to set norms and standards and maintain the management of heritage resources nationally; ° to encourage co-operative conservation of our national estate; ° to enable and facilitate the development of provincial structures; ° to control the export and import of nationally significant heritage resources; ° to develop policy initiative for the promotion and management of our heritage; ° to nurture an holistic celebration of our history; ° to set national policy for heritage resources management, i.e. formal protection, general protection and management; and ° to develop an integrated and interactive system for the management of national heritage resources. 2 SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY | ANNUAL REPORT 2007 Letter from the Chairperson 111 Harrington Street CAPE TOWN 8001 The Minister of Arts and Culture Oranje Nassau Building 188 Schoeman Street PRETORIA 0002 Dear Sir I have pleasure in presenting to you the 2006-2007 annual report of the South African Heritage Resources Agency for the year ended 31 March 2007. Yours faithfully PP Chairperson SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY | ANNUAL REPORT 2007 3 The Chief Executive Officer’s Foreword & Message The financial year, 2006/2007, has once more made us reflect on what we have been doing. We realized that there is a genuine need to consistently communicate our message and discharge our legal mandate with creativity and innovation. We continuously managed to sharpen our strategic document which is a catalytic tool for delivery – this document is fondly known as the “The Step Ahead Heritage Vision”. It identifies five strategic priority areas, namely; conservation enhancement, cultural and natural integration, heritage tourism, transformation and global initiatives. These strategic priority areas are as important as the This annual report is the third report blood in our veins. since joining the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) on 01 October This report contains the work of the 2004. Having gone through the following following units: Archaeology, Palaeontology financial years 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 and Meteorites, Underwater Archaeology, – there are indeed good reasons to believe Built Environment, Living Heritage, that SAHRA, being the custodian of the Heritage Objects, Burial Grounds and national estate is committed to serving the Graves, Inventory of the National Estate, heritage sector and providing the necessary Grading and Declaration, Provincial Offices, technical inputs at all times. Once again, in Legal Services, Library Services, Archives, this financial year, the Auditor – General’s Information Technology, Human Resources, report will show that we have managed to Corporate Affairs and Finance. While it receive an unqualified audit opinion. This is commendable for these units to have is the second consecutive unqualified audit delivered on their core areas, there is still an opinion. urgent need to address capacity constraints facing SAHRA. There is no doubt that Of course, this would not have not been SAHRA is occupying a very strategic role in achieved without the collective effort of the the management of South Africa’s heritage previous Council, its Executive Committee, resources. Such an important role has to the Audit Committee and our committed be enhanced by adequate resources and staff members. The challenge now is proper functioning systems like the fully in maintaining this status quo for the functioning Provincial Heritage Resources forthcoming years. Authorities (PHRAs). 4 SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY | ANNUAL REPORT 2007 Perhaps, it is now necessary to briefly bodies inter alia the National Prosecuting explain the legal mandate of SAHRA. Authority’ Missing People project SAHRA’s mandate is purely on the and the Department of Environmental management of all our national heritage Affairs and Tourism on the return of the resources in the form of sites and Mapungubwe human remains. Due to collections. SAHRA believes that it is limited space it would not be possible through productive partnerships that a to include all other partnerships. The real difference can be realised. Hence, in dominant factor is that SAHRA is association with the national Department of determined to make partnerships that are Arts and Culture, SAHRA is embarking on a aimed at preserving our heritage resources. R28.5m project. The project as approved by parliament entails the national inventory of SAHRA’s responsibilities as outlined in the movable and immovable cultural property. National Heritage Resources Act, Number This is linked to the development of a 25 of 1999 are as follows: reliable, efficient and effective database. ° To co-ordinate the management of the As per our mandate, SAHRA will continue national estate by agencies of the state pursuing this project with dedication and and other bodies; commitment. The project will also be done ° To establish the national principles, in such a way that it integrates all the work standards and policies for the that has already been done by SAHRA so far identification, recording and as the database management is concerned. management of the national estate; We are of the view that the project should ° To identify, record and manage nation- not be confined to a three-year cycle – there ally significant heritage resources and is so much that we still need to uncover so keep permanent records of such work; that the value of our heritage resources is ° To promote education and training in better appreciated. fields related to the management of the national estate; Furthermore, there has been a very robust ° To advise, assist and provide partnership between the 16 June 1976 professional expertise to any authority Foundation and SAHRA. The nature of this responsible for the management of partnership is such that there is a direct the national estate at provincial or relationship between the names of those local level and assist any other body young people who were determined to make concerned with heritage resources this a better South Africa and their graves. management; The essence of this project is to locate the ° To promote and encourage public graves and link them to the heroes and understanding and enjoyment of the heroines’ names of the liberation struggle. national estate and public interest and This is in line with the directives of the involvement in the identification, as- National Heritage Resources Act. There are sessment, recording and management a number of similar partnerships with other of heritage resources management. SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY | ANNUAL REPORT 2007 5 In the forthcoming year, with our new On behalf of SAHRA, let me once more Council, we shall be more vigorous and invite you to put your fingers on each an vigilant in evaluating and implementing every page of this annual report. In doing strategies that are meant to identify, protect so, you will find that being the custodians and promote our heritage resources for of the national estate we know our path and present and future generations. require you to walk that path with us in managing the heritage resources of Our staff and management team continues our beloved South Africa. We remain to play an important role in implementing optimistic that once the new Council strategies and policies towards greater has been brought on board, SAHRA will management of our heritage resources. Of continue discharging its mandate. course, SAHRA still needs more resources to better manage our heritage landscape. Our Looking into the achievements and heritage resources as a whole represent the challenges facing SAHRA, it is appropriate collective and balanced story of our South to silently utter the following motto: African consciousness, as we understand it today. My heritage, my past, my present and my future!!! What remains a challenge though is the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The question that is often asked is how best can heritage respond to such a national issue? The answer to the question is multifold. It, however, requires all of us to continue projecting the values that heritage and culture has imbibed in us PHAKAMANI BUTHELEZI in addressing the pandemic. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 6 SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY | ANNUAL REPORT 2007 Council Membership NAME STATUS 1. Dr Sifiso Ndlovu Chairperson 2. Dr Anton van Vollenhoven