If our children are to inherit a country a scale significant enough to become major worth inheriting, a financially strong coun- contributors to the wealth- and job-creation try, big business becomes more important processes of the new South Africa. than ever before. And that is really what a healthy econ-

For one thing, like other small coun­ omy is all about, a mix of big, medium and tries with big business, it is big business that small businesses operating internationally enables South Africa to compete in the and internally off a strong, competitive base. international markets and be a big earner Big business and the South African offoreign exchange. economy. Inseparable if the new South

For another, it is big business that Africa is to have an economy worthy of provides a stable base from which medium generations to come. and small business can grow and expand on

KLERCK & WHITE A SMTCIII & SAATU II AGENCY/17899 RESTO RICA

Stigting • Simon van der Stel • Foundation 1996 Ingelyfde Vereniging sander winsoogmerk Incorporated Association not for gain

Opgerig • Established From the editors 2 8 April 1959 Reg. No. 60/00005/08 Magtiginsnommer • Fund-raising number Are today's buildings worthy of conservation? 3 FO 2 200215 0008

Adres • Address Bewaring leef in takke 4 Posbus • PO Box 12293 Centrahil Port Elizabeth 6006 Honoured for excellence (041) 56-2849 5

Nasionale Raad • National council Bewaring en ontwikkeling: Europese perspektief 6 Nasionale Voorsitter • National Chairman Mev/Mrs G Coetzee Broader heritage concept for NMC 7 Verteenwoordiger RNG • NMC Respresentative Mnr/Mr G Hofmeyer conservation - Quo vadis? 8 Weskaap • Western Cape I\:fev/Mrs H Claassens Mnr/Mr R Bouma Mission settlements in the Cape 10 Mnr/Mr L Raymond Mnr/Mr L Muller Mnr/Mr MF Smuts Taking care of the family silver 13 Ooskaap • Eastern Cape Mnr/Mr A Herholdt wat is ·n lewende monument? 17 Oranje-Vrystaat • Orange Free State Mnr/Mr] van Beukering Restoration of the Old Cape Archives 21 Gauteng Mnr/Mr A Holm Mnr/Mr H Prins Jeug moet leer bewaar 24 Noordwes • Northwest Dr JH Cameron Paarl tries to pacify pride and prejudice 26 Sekretaresse • Secretary Mev/Mrs T Wegner Act of utter barbarism 28 Resto rica

Mede Redakteurs • Joint Editors Steen berg- toonbeeld van balans 29 Albrecht Herholdt Trudie Wegner

Subredakteurs • Sub-editors Cultural heritage conservation in KwaZulu-Natal 30 Gail Snyman Trudie Wegner versekeringsreus ondersteun bewaring 32 Redaksionele Komitee • Editorial Board Mnr/Mr Herbert Prins Mnr/Mr Albrecht Herholdt Conservation and development: attainment of synergy 34

Ontwerp & uitleg • Design & layout Truberry New meaning for old monuments 36 Drukwerk • Printing Cadar

RESTORICA 1996 From the editors

" ... a building is really a living being ... it needs nourishment in order to live, just as a man does. It sickens and dies, and also, SIMON YAN DER STEL Stigting • Foundation it can be cured of illness by a good doctor ... You might say that a building does not sicken and die like a man, and I would reply Takadresse ·• ·.Brandi· adresses that indeed it does just that. But when it has a good doctor when it falls ill, that is a master builder who repairs and cures it, it will stay in a good condition for a long time." Filarete (c.1403- c.1448)

re we on a kill or cure road in South Africa or on the path of healthy conservation? Do we have enough A "doctors" to care for the built environment? In this issue of Restorica a variety of viewpoints are expressed. All underline the importance of the involvement of not only doctors, but indeed dedicated specialists in many fields. Certain parts of the country have been comprehen­ sively listed. However, unfortunately some major cities and towns lag behind in this process. Or even worse, in some VRYSTAAT deserving places, no listing has been initiated at all. With Posbus·818 South Africa in an important economical upswing, the fine Bloemfontein 9300 balance between conservation and development should be maintained where relevant and listing can be used as an OOS-VRYSTAAT important tool to achieve this goal. Perhaps the previous net Posbus 1492 was cast too Eurocentrically. A lesson should be taken from the KwaZulu-Natal proposed proclamations for 1996. Bethlehem 9700 Reflected in this publication is the involvement with conser­ CAPETOWN vation at various mission stations. This choice raises interest­ ing questions: Why missions stations? Are they an easy entry P0Bt>x445l into the RDP? We think not. Perhaps it reveals a sincere effort, Town.8000 the selection made easier because of accessibility, familiarity and definability. But the road does not stop here. STELLENBOSCH Laudable as the efforts are to educate the youth in Cape Town Posbus3003 and Port Elizabeth about the built environment, they are iso­ Matieland 7599 lated. This type of education should be included in school Northwards at Night curricula, from as early as primary level. Pupils should be DRAKENSTEIN made aware of their rich heritage and be taught to look criti­ PO:Box2646 Cover sponsored cally at the built environment and its future extensions. This by Gencor would ensure a better quality of life for all of South Africa's PICTURE: WALDEMAR BUSSIAHN rainbow people.

RESTORICA 1996 !JlHli :Ii1i liHUll !l!iil! !1§1 ~1\H ~ ~ =-~""- ~-~~~ "" '"' "~ ~ ><. Are today's buildings worthy of conservation tomorrow?

arefully conceived and assembled create in South Africa. Architecture has often buildings in South Africa have become a in the past been used by statesmen to leave a Crarity. Site, surroundings, the street visible legacy of their power. scape, detailing and fine construction today The late president Mitterrand, for example, are reserved for a select group of buildings. left France with several "monuments" The prevailing impression is that the town (Woongids, 20 January 1996) in the architectur­ house complexes and shopping malls, which al history of France to preserve his place of today dominate our city scapes are assembled prominence. Le Grande Louvre, Le Grande in the most utilitarian way possible, only to be Arch and La Tres Grande Bibliotheque are but refurbished, at great cost in a mere three or three of the architectural triumphs which he four years. achieved, despite criticism of the severest For those with an interest in building con­ kind. Time alone will prove the architectural servation, this is an anachronism. The build­ merits of his architectural pursuits. ings we deal with, have mostly stood the test An admirable example of cooperation is in of time. The big test, namely adaptability and progress (Woongids 24 February 1996) in the Mrs Gerda Coetzee transformation, many have passed with flying area of Ferney-Voltaire where 24 French towns National Chairman colours. Both Parliament and the Union are now aiming at collecting R26 million to Simon van der Stel Buildings now serve a new government. In purchase and restore the chateau where the Foundation Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth old produce French philosopher I author I poet Fran<;ois de markets serve whole communities by being Voltaire lived for 20 years. transformed into theatres and concert halls. This is the type of action from which our The mansions of the affluent of the past have own towns can benefit. Malmesbury in the successfully been adapted into prestigious Swartland region of the Western Cape recently business chambers. Excellent design, aesthetic started a movement to preserve the town. This appeal, workmanship and materials of the effort can grow considerably if surrounding highest standard have won the day in these towns and villages cooperate and contribute. buildings. e in South Africa are dependant on It is often in amazement that conservation­ the State for the preservation of ist see how the interiors of restaurants, hotels W many of our cultural gems. Private and even homes and offices are carefully enterprise has an equally important role to selected to copy those of an earlier era while play in this respect. Apart from physical archi­ the prospective occupants seem to be com­ tecture there are two other important factors pletely apathetic towards or oblivious of regarding our architectural heritage: adequate building conservation. A whole industry exists legislation to protect our building heritage, in producing replicas in paving, furnishing, and an efficient structure to implement such lighting, panelling, etc. legislation. Equally important is a national The conservationists of today cannot and presence in the form of a non-statutory body to should not spend their energies on preserva­ act as guardian of our architectural heritage. tion alone but must be involved in planning This role the Simon van der Stel Foundation and development and contemporary architec­ has fulfilled for the past 36 years. ture. The reasons for this are two-fold: old To continue doing so we need the support buildings should not be conserved in isolation, and financial assistance of those who care but should be part of a whole town and street about the aesthetic appearance of our cities, scape, and development around such a build­ towns and countryside. As with most non gov­ ing or row of buildings should enhance the ernmental organisations, this organisation is old. Recognising our heritage is of prime severely hampered by inadequate funds. importance in new developments. In a time What is needed is a commitment to assist by when we can expect a mushrooming of new those who care about architecture and the buildings, conservationists must not only be architectural heritage of our country. custodians but should act as facilitators to make sure that the architecture which is creat­ ed for the next century is of such a nature that new architecture, worthy of conservation, is II created. there can be no greater Security to any Work against e are aware that the State is the cus­ Violence and Injury, than Beauty and Design" todian of the crown jewels when it W comes to our architectural heritage. It -ALBERTI L. B., DE REAEDIFICATIORIO 1452,ASTRANSLATED BY LEONI G., IN 1726 would be interesting to see what type of new architecture the government of the day will

RESTORICA 1996 Bewaring lee£ in takke

ragdadig sou nie 'n onvanpaste woord besig met die restourasie van "Cheve" - 'n wees om die Stigting Simon van der Stel huis langs die Paarl Gimnasium. Die tak het K se takke se bewaringsaksies te beskryf hom die afgelope jaar veral beywer om nouer nie. Nasionaal verbind maar op voetsoolvlak samewerking met ander bewarings- en bedryf elke tak bewaring in sy streek volgens gemeenskapsorganisasies. bepaalde behoeftes. ie keurige nuusbriewe wat die Terwyl sommige takke hulle toespits op Pretoriase tak uitstuur wemel van inter­ inligting, opvoeding en motivering, D essante inligting. Hulle opvoedkundige onderneem ander self restourasie. Die Suid­ toere word goed ondersteun en hulle het van­ Kaap tak se restourasiewerk wat pas op die jaar reeds Soshanguve, Mabopane en Makao, vissersdorpie Melkhoutfontein naby Stilbaai tradisionele tuistes van die Bakwena- en voltooi is, is 'n sprekende voorbeeld van hoe Bakghatlastamme besoek. Hierdie tak speel 'n bedag die takke is op behoeftes in hul omge­ leidende rol in die ontwikkeling van die stad. wing. Die Kaapstad-tak het verteenwoordiging op Uit 'n volksboukundige oogpunt is dit oa die Victoria & Alfred Waterfrontkomitee, die besondere huise met hulle abba-vuurherde of Kaapse Erfenistrust en die komeintjies. Dekriet vir die projek is deur die Omgewingsadvieskomitee. Hulle argitek­ Suid-Kaa pse tak geskenk, die Lazarus toniese bewaringsopvoedingseminaar is van­ Ontwikkelingstrust van die Anglikaanse kerk jaar toegespits op onderwysers. Blou plakette, betaal vir balke, vensters en deure en die met die doel om besoekers se aandag te vestig Die Suid-Kaapse tak gemeenskap onderneem self die werk. op die belangrikheid van geboue is aangebring ondersteun die Die Oudshoornse bewaringskomitee het op oa St. Stephen's Kerk, die radarstasie by vissersgemeenskap bygedra tot die herstel van die loodglasven­ Kaappunt en in die Kompanjiestuin. van Melkhoutfontein sters van die Drilsaal op die dorp. In Port Elizabeth kon die Oos-Kaapse tak die se restourasieprojek Verskeie takke is besonder gemoeid in afgelope jaar nie al die leerlinge wat hulle estetiese en/ of ontwikkel­ bewaringseminaar wou bywoon, akkommo­ ingskomitees. Die deer nie. Die tak is steeds gemoeid met die res­ Stellenbosch-tak doen uiters tourasiewerk op Clarkson in die Tsitsikamma waardevolle werk op die en het ook verlede jaar op Erfenisdag met 'n dorp waar groei teen 'n snel foto- en boekuitstalling die aandag gevestig op tempo plaasvind en waar die belangrikheid van bewaring. daar voortdurend gemaan Die Uitenhage-tak maak steeds sy stem dik moet word om die historiese waar dit kom by bewaring van die argitek­ karakter van die dorp te toniese erfenis. behou. Hierdie tak se vinger enewens suksesvolle inligtingstoere vir is op die pols van bewaring sekondere skoolhoofde na historiese en ontwikkeling. Ook die Bplekke in Potchefstroom en volgehoue Breerivier-vallei-tak speel 'n restourasiewerk aan die Berlynse sending­ belangrike rol in Worcester se kerkkompleks, het hierdie tak weereens vanjaar estetiese komitee. 'n suksesvolle huistoer gehou en duisende Drakenstein-tak waak oor rande vir bewaring ingesamel. die argitektoniese skatte van Die Bloemfontein-tak se nominasie van die Paarl. Tydige ingryping Bethanie Sendingkompleks vir die Sanlam res­ het reeds verskeie geboue in tourasietoekenning was sukseksvol en hulle sal die dorp gered. Hulle is tans vanjaar die restourasiewerk kan voltooi. Die gedenkplaat vir die Franse generaal de Villebois-Marieull, digby Boshof, is pas onthul. Hierdie tak stap voort in die rigting wat hulle groat mentor, wyle prof. Petrus Nienaber aangewys het. Suid-Afrika se sandsteen boukultuur in die Oos-Vrystaat is steeds die lede op Bethlehem se trots. Die Witwatersrand-tak was in 1995 die gashere vir die A JV. Die Stigting se dank aan hulle dat hulle besoekers bewus gemaak het van die feit dat vervloe Johannesburg steeds bestaan op die heuwels om die stad. Hierdie tak is nie alleen die vervaardigers van die blou plakette wat die Stigting gebruik nie, maar het self plakette op verskeie geboue aangebring, oa die Markteater en Museum Africa.

RESTORICA 1996 Honoured for excellence

ince 1969 the Simon van der Stel Mr HF Oppenheimer Foundation has awarded gold medals Excellence transcends merit and it is for this Sfor architectural conservation to 47 reason that the Foundation's gold medal was individuals and institutions. awarded to Mr Harry Oppenheimer. As Recipients of the 1995 medals were Mr chairman of Anglo American Corporation Harry Oppenheimer for his life-long his influence in cultivating the interest in involvement in the field of conservation, and conservation of this corporation was consid­ Mr Mannie Manim and the late Mr Barney erable. By establishing the Rhodes Trust, an Simon for the Market Theatre Complex. affiliate company of Anglo American, he made sure that there would be funds avail­ Market Theatre able for restoration. This complex is today proof of how a con­ demned industrial building was recycled is initiative over many years resulted Barney Simon into a vibrant, functional asset to the local in the following commendable con­ community. H servation efforts: The Old Market in Newtown became • Keeping the Brenthurst Estate intact; redundant when the city required larger II Establishing the Brenthurst Library; market premises in the mid-Seventies. It was • Donating the Leaping Impala fountain to the vision and drive of several people, recog­ the City of Johannesburg; nising the potential of the building, who res­ cued it from falling into disrepair or bowing • Initiating the restoration of Boschendal to the demolisher's hammer. and Rhone in the Drakenstein Valley - through the Rhodes Trust; call from Mr Morris Norton. of the City Engineer's Department to A Mannie Manim and the late Barney Simon was the start of a theatrical transfor­ mation. They were made aware of the fact that tenders were invited from theatre groups to hire the 1916 building. The enthusiasm of Manim and Simon, as well as the unique architectural features and the structure's suitability for adaptation, saved the complex. The building, inter alia, in the main arch has the longest three pin arch in the Southern Hemisphere. Mannie Manim's vision for creating a venue where all the cultural groups of South Africa could meet kept the building from being demolished. He was also intimately involved in the designing, building and planning and made great personal financial sacrifices. He inspired the community to partake in the actual renovation process. he late Barney Simon's contribution to the multi-faceted culture of South TAfrica is important. By saving an his­ torical building and finding for it an ongoing use the theatrical duo created a marriage of building and theatre. "Their contribution to theatre and the arts has been acknowledged," said Mr Herbert Prins, chairman of the Witwatersrand branch, who nominated Messrs Manim and Simon for the national award. "It is fitting that their gift to conservation should be similarly recognised with this a ward from the Simon van der Stel Foundation."

RESTORICA 1996 'n Europese perspektief

Deur E.S. van Bart aar in Suid-Afrika nog dikwels 'n debat Die gedig vertoon elemente van die encomium vryskut joernalis gevoer word oor bewaring versus urbis, 'n lofdig aan 'n stad. Die encomium urbis was W ontwikkeling op argitektoniese gebied, reeds in klassieke Griekeland bekend. Poesie-leer­ het die debat in Europa tot een oor bewaring en meesters het in besonderhede voorgeskryf wat, ontwikkeling gevorder. Die debat vind hoofsaaklik hoe en in watter volgorde van elemente, oor 'n stad plaas tussen, onderskeidelik, aanhangers van die geskryf moet word. 'n Ontwikkeling van hierdie Neo-modernisme en die Neo-klassisisme. digvorm was die gevolg van die Christendom: Die Eersgenoemde vind die kontras tussen die nuwe variant encomium urbis het die vorige glorierykheid en die oue opwindend, laasgenoemde plaas die van die stad met sy latere agteruitgang of verni­ klem op harmonie in verwysing na die oue. etiging vergelyk, duidelik 'n sinspeling op die Dat in Europa geen twyfel bestaan oor die · mens se verval onder aanslag van die sonde. bewarenswaardigheid van waardige historiese In die lig van die Christelike konnotasie is dit geboue nie, kan nie bloat sinies toegeskryf word heel interessant dat dit juis regoor katedrale in aan toeriste-dollars wat ongetwyfeld noodsaaklik Europa is dat kontroversiele Neo-modernistiese vir die ontwikkeling van die Europese ekonomie­ ontwikkeling tans plaasvind, beplan word of in die en daarmee vir die ontwikkeling van die Europese redelik onlangse verlede voltooi is. Om kortliks boubedryf- is, nie, maar ook aan 'n kultuur-milieu vier te noem: waarin waardering vir die prestasies van die Reg teenoor die Koninklike Portaal van verlede as kenmerkend van die beskaafde mens Chartres-katedraal is 'n nuwe museum, antwerp beskou word. Beskaafdheid is die "produk" van deur die Franse argitek, Patrick Berger, beplan. baie eeue se nougesette arbeid aan die verfyning Die museum-antwerp word as "waaghalsig" van die menslike intellek en gees, wat noodwendig beskryf, dit wil se, Neo-modernisties in kontras neerslag vind in sy fisieke omgewing. Dit is der­ met die Gotiek van die katedraal. Uiteraard is halwe onvermydelik dat die argitektuur, naas die daar sogenaamde "oningeligtes", waaronder heel­ beeldende kunste en die letterkunde, as die hoog­ wat Neo-klassisistiese argitekte, wat die ste uiting van kulturele ontwikkeling en identiteit verontagsaming van die oue, die bestaande, beskou sal word. Op die drie skeppingsgebiede bevraagteken en die ontwikkeling beskou as 'n word die veredelende ontmoeting tussen mens en voortsetting van die "verval" van argitektoniese natuur ten beste verbeeld. standaarde. Hoe diep die wortels van die Europese Daar is natuurlik altyd die emosioneles wat in beskawing le, blyk uit hierdie Anglo-Saksie se elk geval die Modernisme, neo of nie, as gedig. Die redes wat in haas elke argument ten "demonies", 'n gepaste styl vir die uitbeelding gunste van bewarenswaardigheid aangevoer van die "dekadente" twintigste eeu, sien. In Ulm, word, dui op 'n betrokke gebou/plek as dokument Duitsland, is einde 1993 'n nuwe stadshuis van die geskiedenis/verlede. ingewy, antwerp deur 'n argitek van New York, Treffend verbeeld die onbekende digter van Richard Meier. Meier se hiper-Neo-modernistiese The Ruin dat die werk van "the dead departed beton-massa is baie duidelik gebasseer op 'n master-builders" nie net hul "merk" toon nie, maar ontwerp van Hans Scharoun wat onsuksesvol was ook aan die geskiedenis herinner: toe daar in 1924 ook vir ontwerpe vir 'n nuwe Splendid this rampart is, though fate destroyed it,/The city stadhuis gevra is. Weer is daar waarnemers wat St St. Stephan-katedraal buildings fell apart, the work/Of gaints crumble./ ... And grit die Meier-antwerp as ewe onsuksesvol beskou, vind weerkaatsing in holds in its grip, the hard embrace/Of earth, the dead departed daar die enigste "goeie" kenmerk van die gebou die spieelglas van Haas master-builders,/ Until a hundred generations now/ Of people die talle uitsigte wat dit op die 161m hoe taring Haus in Wenen. have passed by. Often this wall/Stained red and grey with lichen van die Gotiese Ulm-katedraal bied, is. has stood by/ Surviving storms while kingdoms rose and In Wenen is Hans Hollein se beton-sakegebou, FOTO: M. VAN BAKJ~ DIE BURGER fell./ And now the high curved wall itself has fallen. Haas Haus, met 'n spieelglas taring, in 1990 Die gedig voltooi, steeds die moeder van kontroversiele kom in die geboue in Wenen. Die enigste aanvaarbare ken­ Exeter Book, merk van hierdie gebou in baie oe is die weerkaat­ 'n manuskrip­ sing van die St. Stephan-katedraal in Haas Haus volume van se spieelglas. Oud-Engelse En in Engeland is die debat tussen die Neo­ gedigte, moderniste en die Neo-klassici oor 'n meesterplan saamgestel in vir die Paternoster Square ontwikkeling reg langs c.975, voor. en ten noorde van Sir Christopher Wren se Barok­ The Ruin han­ meesterwerk, die St. Paulus-katedraal, nog nie ten del oor die einde nie. Die wen-antwerp van Arup Associates verval van 'n van Landen, 'n Neo-modernistiese antwerp tot in Romeinse die fynste besonderhede, het reeds in 1987 in die s t a d , diep water beland nadat Prins Charles dit afge­ waarskynlik maak het as 'n km ontkenning van die historiese Bath. aard van Landen.

RESTORICA 1996 Broader heritage concept for NMC ffirmative conservation is what one could Future call it - the course that the National The establishment of the forum was in line with A Monuments Council (NMC) has embarked recommendations which had, according to Arts on, entailing the identification and proclamation of and Culture chief director Themba Wakashe, been a wider variety of institutions as notable heritage, tabled by ACTAG (Arts and Culture Task Group) in an attempt to involve and satisfy a broader sec­ that the National Monuments Council should be tion of South African society than before. given a much broader brief. Hopefully it would also ensure that the body "Our forum would naturally need to take note remains relevant amidst the rapidly changing of the contents of the ACTAG report and white authority structures. paper - and keep in touch with it," Mr Hofmeyr In the process of so-called affirmative conser­ said. vation, about 50 percent of the funds that have During a visit to the NMC in February by Dr been made available for this purpose during the Von Droste, Director of Unesco's World Heritage past year, have been allocated as subsidies to RDP­ Centre in Paris who is responsible for the evalua­ related projects involving, for example, restoration, tion and approval of World Heritage Sites, Mr Mr George Hofmeyer according to NMC director George Hofmeyr. Hofmeyr said though there is a perception that the Director When freelance journalist, Lisel Krige, spoke to NMC is mainly involved with national monu­ National Monuments him in Cape Town, Mr Hofmeyr pointed out that ments, there are in fact ten conservation categories Council the Council was at present, amongst other things, which fall under its jurisdiction. They are: working on the house in Johannesburg where II Fossil sites and objects; President Mandela had practised as an attorney Ill All archaeological objects and sites; before going to prison. Likewise, the Kimberley More than 4 000 objects, properties and sites; house of Sol Plaatje, who was the first secretary of Conservation areas; the ANC, had also been proclaimed a National A wide range of structures or objects older than 50 years; Monument. Furthermore the Council is in the II A wide range of antiques; process of both erecting a memorial in Ill Cultural treasures, where any moveable object is of unique nation­ Johannesburg and of proclaiming the grave of al interest; Enoch Sontonga, composer of Nkosi Sikelel' i In cases of imminent demolition or uncertainty about the future of Afrika. an object of a national character, the NMC can provisionally declare it for Such actions will undoubtedly be welcomed by a maximum of five years; all conservationists who have been feeling uncom­ Ill The register of conservation-worthy properties which do not neces­ fortable about the selective approach of the NMC sarily qualify as national monuments, but serve as an important plan­ in the past. There are, however, strong indications ning tool; and that there is still prejudice in the ranks of many II An estimated 60 000 war graves are automatically protected. Most of these are associated with the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), but the South Africans about the profile of the body and its National Monuments Council is investigating the possibility of includ­ criteria. An encouraging prospect, which will ing certain graves of those who died in conflict or the Struggle. allow for submissions and proposals that could be considered for the drafting of new, broader legisla­ Inclusive tion, is that the NMC is looking at the establish­ The most important prerequisite is that something ment of a Forum for this purpose. of truly historic value should not be ignored or In a statement, Mr Hofmeyr says the NMC overlooked for political reasons. "A few years ago "wishes to establish a FORUM to review existing there were demands that the so-called colonial his­ national legislation and draft new legislation on tory and heritage should be ignored, but fortu­ heritage resources conservation". nately the tide is turning," Mr Hofmeyer said. "A revision of the present National "There seems to be agreement that the conser­ Monuments Act (Act No. 28 of 1969, as amended) vation base should rather be broadened than nar­ has become essential since it contains many short­ rowed down." comings and is partly based on outdated conser­ With a new council and new legislation, one vation principles." would hopefully reach a definition of national cul­ The statement goes on to say that the Minister tural heritage which would be much more inclu­ of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Dr Ben sive. "We are still involved in a process of intro­ Ngubane, had approved the proposed forum, spection on various management levels," he said. which would lead to the redrafting of existing leg­ Though there is an imbalance as far as existing islation with the assistance of working committees. national monuments are concerned, it should be The new legislation would include the follow­ remembered that conservation was, after all, origi­ ing aspects: nally a Eurocentric concept, Mr Hofmeyr said. For • The built environment, including individual buildings and struc­ the first time it is now possible, with national co­ tures, national monuments, immovable property on the Register and operation, to look at conservation in a broader conservation areas; • Movable cultural objects such as antiques; sense. • Archaeological and palaeontological sites and objects, including He was optimistic about the future of conser­ shipwrecks; and vation in South Africa: "We feel heritage conserva­ • Graves of victims of conflict. tion will be the overall winner in the end."

RESTORICA 1996 Conservation - quo vadis? A whole new outlook on conservation is on the cards for South Africa, reports Lisel Krige. It entails a policy that will deal with the broad concept of heritage, instead of focusing on monuments only.

he Department of Arts, Culture, Science driven action, is displayed by the conservation and Technology had set its sights on the body of Genadendal, which originated as a Tpresentation of the white paper on this mission station in the eighteenth century. issue by the end of March this year, said chief A whole collection of eighteenth and nine­ director Themba Wakashe. teenth century structures on the Historic A report evolving from a process of evalua­ Church Square, as well as authentic artefacts - tion by the appointed Arts and Culture Task all collected from within the boundaries of the Group (ACTAG), was tabled in July last year. settlement, are being conserved and main­ This report, resulting in the white paper, con­ tained through local initiative. cerned the "broader heritage" of South Africa. Though a large number of buildings on the Explaining this, Mr Wakashe said recom­ Genadendal Church Square have been mendations had been tabled that the National declared national monuments, the community Monuments Council should be given a much has never managed to obtain funds from cen­ broader brief - to be able to deal with more tral government ranks for the restoration and Mr Themba Wakashe than just monuments. preservation thereof. Chief Director: Arts "The National Monuments Council is look­ As the local conservationists were con­ and Culture ing at establishing a forum to investigate the vinced and then in fact had proof, that their Department of Arts, broadening of legislation," he said. Not only treasure was of national interest, they resisted Culture, Science and would the possibility of amended legislation the allocation of Genadendal as an "Own Technology be looked at, but also the future of conservation Affairs" responsibility when the classification in general and the possibility of a broader base had still been valid. This led to the inception of for the NMC. self-driven fund-raising campaigns, which have enabled the community to take care of its Profile own architectural heritage - albeit on a shoe­ Outlining the prospects pertaining to the con­ string. servation of architectural heritage in particular, Mission stations in particular were the kind Mr Wakashe said one would have to move of conservable heritage he was interested in, away from the prevailing tendency to conserve Mr Wakashe said. "Many of them have been mostly Eurocentric and Cape Dutch architec­ neglected, whilst having played an important ture. "We are looking at a way of saying that role in the education of our country's new and South Africa's heritage is much broader than it current leadership." seems to be. We need to revisit the concept," he According to Mr Wakashe, another question said. that arose with regard to architectural conser­ According to Mr Wakashe, existing major vation in the broader sense, is that of our role in role players in conservation, like the Simon van terms of our relationship with the international der Stel Foundation, would also have a role to community. play in the future dispensation. However, he "What can we learn from the international said, the profile of personnel involved in the community in terms of blending the new and structures and institutions which were con­ the old? This is something we should start cerned with conservation, would have to defining," Mr Wakashe said. change in order to serve a broader purpose. As a typical example of this practice, he Bodies like the Foundation, with the kind of mentioned the additions that had been made to expertise it is known for, could make a won­ the Louvre in Paris - where the various stages derful input, said Mr Wakashe. of architecture had been blended masterfully. The question of how to profile South "The context we are faced with," Mr African heritage within the new political dis­ Wakashe said, "is that we will have to bring pensation, was very important - and it was for together the historic Cape Dutch architecture "everybody", Mr Wakashe said. and the new heritage which will be identified." Guidance was needed on three levels in the Then there are also the gaps which would profiling process: be impossible to fill, like District Six- of which On ministerial level in terms of the policy only about four buildings remain. Sophiatown announcement; is another example. From conservation bodies themselves - as The time has come for a more far-sighted, they know the technicalities involved; almost "preventative" type of conservation in Communities have to be involved: not only South Africa. by identifying what they felt should be con­ Church Square, Genadendal ~ served, but also in the follow-up action. Excellent examples of restored buildings An excellent example of this kind of self- PICTURES: LISEL KRIGE

RESTORICA 1996

Mission settlements in the Cape Moravian mission settlements not only incorporate environments and buildings which are of cultural and historical significance but collectively also constitute a resource base from which to address some of the development needs of poor rural communities.

By Lucien le Grange n this article the writer, who has been pose similar threats to the historic character of architect/urban planner involved in conservation planning and the settlements, especially in the more preserved and senior lecturer I restoration of buildings on Moravian mission environments of Elim and Wupperthal. They are Cape Town settlements for the past 12 years, discusses the currently being monitored and great care needs limitations of current development. Approaches to be taken to ensure that the character of build­ and attempts at offering a possible way by which ings and vernacular environments are protected. to implement holistic development in mission settlements are suggested. Current approaches Current development approaches on the Pressures for development Moravian mission settlements are primarily lim­ New physical development on Moravian mis­ ited to infrastructure upgrading. As elsewhere in sion settlements has in general occurred at two the country, the concept of development (in levels, namely the modernisation of houses by terms of priorities) is confined to the provision of individual occupants and the upgrading of water, sewage disposal, electrification and the infrastructure by local or regional authorities. upgrading of roads. While these services are Upgrading was first initiated by the Church in indeed necessary to the well being of any com­ the 1970s when limited electrification projects munity, other socio-economic development pro­ were introduced to Genadendal and Elim. grammes are often overlooked or not given During the mid 1980s large-scale infrastructure immediate priority. Accompanying this concep­ upgrading came to be implemented by state tion of development is an 'engineering-design' agencies in Mamre and Genadendal. approach which has in certain instances While this new development was of course remained insensitive to the issues and elements essential to deal with problems of poor infra­ that make up the mission vernacular landscape. structure, overcrowding and the need for new In general, limitations of these current planning community facilities, it was often insensitively approaches can be characterised by: implemented. In each case the scale, materials the absence of a holistic developmental and form of such new interventions have often approach; led to the transformation of historic precincts; a failure to recognise the complexity of mis­ new settlement patterns were introduced, roads sion settlement environments and the broader were widened which changed traditional cultural landscape; streetscapes and new house types were intro­ the failure to recognise dominant settlement duced, as was the case in Genadendal and patterns; Mamre. an ignorance of, or an unwillingness to seek More recently Moravian mission settlements, expert advice; and like many other urban townships, have become the application of inappropriate standards. the focus for infrastructure upgrading projects In addition to these, a number of more gener­ linked to the RDP and as informed by the needs al problems further limits the present approach of local inhabitants. Typically co-ordinated by to development. In certain instances the authori­ regional services councils these projects, such as ty of the central church administration - which at Elim and Wupperthal, include water sup­ could at least have given conservation guidance ply I reticu­ - has been ignored in the initiation of such pro­ Mission Mission Settlement- Settlement- Conservation Declared lation ser­ jects. In other cases planning and engineering Settlement Centre- Infrastructure Restoration Guidelines in Conservation vices, new consultants have failed to acknowledge the his­ Restoration Upgrading of Vernacular existence Area(s) of Buildings Houses sewage dis­ torical value of these settlements. Often there has Genadendal * In progress In progress None No No posal sys­ also been an absence of an integrated design Mamre * No Completed None No No tems and approach between the various disciplines. In Enon (Including No In progress None No No improve­ terms of land-tenure, development proposals are Bersheba) * ments to typically predicated on individual free-hold title Elim In progress In progress None/Pend Yes Yes roads. As which poses major problems for the Moravian Wupperthal No In progress None No No w i t h Church in a context where traditional communal Clarkson No Limited/Pend None No No upgrading systems of tenure have prevailed for nearly two Wittewater No Limited None No No projects in hundred years. Goedverwacht Limited Limited None No No the 1980s, These shortcomings have caused unneces­

*Moravian Missions where the church now has control only of the mission centre area. these cur­ sary destruction and procedural difficulties in a Table 1. Summary of Conservation and Infrastructure Upgrading work in selected rent devel­ number of instances. In certain cases such as at Moravian Mission settlements, 1996 opments Mamre and Genadendal, upgrading projects

10 RESTORICA 1996 have left an indelible blemish on the his­ toric character of the settlements. In other cases the issue of environmental and architectural conservation was only raised after infrastructure upgrading had already been designed and approved of in principle by local com­ munities. Under such circumstances advocacy for the conservation of a regional architectural heritage is often conceived of by local communities as being anti-developmental. This belated inclusion of conservation concerns can also lead to delays in the implementa­ tion of desperately needed accommoda­ tion and services . where tenure relationships are critical in deter...: Traditional Houses, mining access to funding resources it is impor­ Elim, 1994 sustainability tant to find ways by which to accommodate indi­ The issue of creating sustainable development vidual forms of tenure while still preserving has not been considered enough for in almost aspects of the communal ownership of land. In every mission settlement where development attempting to deal with the current development has only involved the provision/upgrading of of Clarkson, the application of the new infrastructure, the following typical problems Communal Property Association Bill offers pos­ have become manifest: sible solutions for dealing with the complex Ill a lack of town or local government manage­ issue of communal land tenure on mission set­ ment skills; tlements. Ill the absence of skills and resources for the By its very nature integrated planning also maintenance of infra-structure, eg launching of allows for consideration of the various elements sustainable income generating projects; and that make up the complex cultural landscape of ill the inability of all sections of the local com~ mission settlements. Insofar as it cannot be con­ munity to pay for service charges. cerned with isolated physical problems it needs Conservation, and development for that mat­ to take into account the natural environment ter, is of very little significance under these cir­ and agricultural land that exists in settlements cumstances if viable income generating opportu­ when embarking upon any new development. nities are not created. In order to avoid fostering In terms of the built environment within mis­ a culture of 'entitlement' and to restore a sense of sion settlements - in both the mission centres dignity amongst these poor rural communities it and within the residential areas themselves - an is important that issues relating to their broader integrated planning and conservation strategy socio-economic advancement and sustahtability should include the following: be addressed. ill the declaration of mission settlements (or parts thereof) as 'conservation areas'; Future considerations ill the acceptance and implementation of appro­ Given this experience within Moravian mission priate guidelines (including 'model' plans for settlements it is evident that the conservation of additions and alterations to dominant house the cultural and physical environment cannot be types); addressed in isolation from a range of other Ill the establishment of local conservation trust developmental problems. One way to deal with funds (as in the case of the Elim Conservation the issue is through an integrated planning Fund, established to assist poorer members of process which needs to deal with a range of envi­ the community to restore and repair their ronmental problems as well as with questions of dwellings); community empowerment and sustainability. All of the above mentioned elements that In terms of economic planning issues, the constitute an integrated development approach process should address the economic use of land need then to be considered in the upgrading, holdings -including agriculture (small scale and modernisation and conservation of Moravian commercial), forestry, small scale industry, arts (and other) mission settlements. It is an and crafts activities and tourism. In addition it approach that should be adopted by the should deal with the development of social ser­ Moravian Church and all its respective mission vices, namely the provision of services such as settlement communities if they wish to preserve health, education, housing, infrastructure and their rich cultural heritage. community facilities. Mission settlements could once again assume a regional service-function References role. Furthermore it needs to be concerned with Japha, Derek, Japha, Viviene, Le Grange, Lucien and the management of natural resources, particular­ Todeschini, Fabio, Mission Setttlements in South ly water resources. Within this approach the Africa - Final Report, Vol 1: Main Policy question of land tenure also needs to be looked Recommendations, Department of Environment at creatively. In the present national context Affairs and Tourism, May 1995, pp. 43-72.

RESTORICA 1996 11 IGHT BEAUTIFUL GOTHIC REVIVAL CHURCHES OF PORT EELIZABETH, by Albrecht Herholdt, in association with Estelle Steenkamp and Hunter Nesbit, will interest many more readers than only those resident in Port Elizabeth. The publication gives in its introduc­ tion, background on the development of the Church in South Africa; in a chapter on architecture it discusses the develop­ ment of Gothic Revival architecture and a whole chapter enlightens the reader on church furniture. The author scooped an expert on organs, Estelle Steenkamp and an expert on stained glass, Hunter Nesbit, to write these sub­

THIS WlNDQW jects. Church bells are also not forgot­ WAS· ERECTED 8YTHEMEMBER.5 ten. 0~-~~E~~=~~0~CE Knowledgeable on these subjects, the reader can now explore the Gothic Revival churches of the city with insight. The book is generously illustrated. of particular pleasure are the drawings, illus­ trating the introduction to each chapter. Craig Billson will be able to make a living as an illustrator if the architectural profession fails him. The book should give pleasure to conserva­ tionists, and supply architects with a mine of information. Those interested in organs and organ music will enjoy the rare pleasure of reading about them. Hunter Nesbit's informa­ tion on stained glass is illuminating. An exten­ sive bibliography will serve those who would like to further their knowledge on Gothic Revival elements as well. This 202-page publication is available at R85 from AD Hoc Publishers, 7 Harvey Street, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6001. Review by Gerda Coetzee, reviewer for Boekwinkel on Afrikaans Stereo.

12 RESTORICA 1996 Taking care of the family silver. • • Not only must state buildings be properly maintained and conserved, but they must be promoted as part of the bringing together of this nation, so that a new future can be forged out of yesterday's heritage. Whether it is recognised or not, this is the only heritage we have. We must build on it, refine it and put it to such use that those who will come after us will be grateful for the generation of today.

lthough South Africa's history does not Synagogue, a variety of blockhouses, houses in By George Zondagh date to antiquity, the country has a the Knysna woods and even a number of over­ principal architect A noble heritage in the buildings built seas buildings that are monuments abroad. Public Works through the years. Time is mentioned to put The main concern about these buildings is into perceptive how long tlw Department of that they have to be adaptable to new and var­ Public Works has been about. ied uses. This is where a distinction must be Since the building of the Castle in Cape made between preservation and conservation, Town after Jan van Riebeeck had landed there, because of the way in which governments Public Works, not quite in its current guise, has need to adapt their buildings. provided and commissioned public buildings Preservation is to keep intact without Union Buildings for many clients and users. This does make change, whereas conservation is to keep the Pretoria Public Works the oldest Government Department in South Africa. It is therefore also relevant that the department is charged with the safekeeping of some of the oldest, impos­ ing and culturally rich man-made edifices. These have survived onslaughts from the ele­ ments and more dangerously, man. The variety of buildings collected over the years cover a range of works. The most mag-­ nificent of these include the Castle, Groote Schuur, Tuynhuis, Union Buildings, Palace of Justice, Appeal Court and Libertas, to name but a few. These buildings reflect the richness of the past, but also point towards the future as they play an active role in today's society. They serve the government with much needed accommodation and act as drawcard for visi­ tors and tourists. These structures are but a few examples of buildings that are monuments and well known. The question is, what about the build­ ings in our countryside, gems in their own right, which do not attract the same amount of attention and money. These buildings usually form the centre of small town~ and reflect the use of local construction materials and con­ struction methods. Each of these has its own story to tell and is in its own right worthy of conservation. ome smaller places like Hanover, Heidelberg, Kroonstad and many others Scan boast with examples that grace the countryside. Police stations, magistrate's courts and gaols can be found throughout the land. Add to these, schools, houses, post offices, hospitals, military bases, and museums and the full picture become known. Some of the strangest examples are a Jewish

RESTORICA 1996 13 building in use with the necessary changes ments plus those recognized as worthy of con­ designed to ensure its viability- both points of servation do not number more than a few view are valid, but the second appears more thousand. These buildings are more expensive applicable to government buildings. to run and maintain, leading to other prob­ lems. Government is not immune to the many problems of the day. It is difficult to compare with countries more advanced in aspects of "We shape our buildings and restoration, but to reach an informed depar­ then our buildings shape us" ture point, comparisons have to be made. The -Sir Winston Churchill Secretary of State in Britain said: "The govern­ ment is not immune to the problems- finan­ cial and other - that face all owners of historic buildings, but should set the best possible example in caring for its historic buildings." The adoption of the second approach has This is so much more true in the new South led to the general belief that the government Africa where the government of the day has does not maintain the buildings in its care. many other priorities. However, this does not This cannot be further from the truth and can remove its responsibility to preserve the public be put in perspective by looking at PWD' s heritage. total responsibility. Policy document Expensive to run Natal Museum Public Works is drawing up a policy document Public Works has in the region of 69 000 build­ Pietermaritzburg with a view of forming a coherent and well- ings in its care, of which those listed as monu- directed approach to the historical buildings in its care. Some factors that have to be considered are: There are buildings in government care that may be worthy of listing, but have not been listed. Where such a building is likely to be affected by a development proposal, the govern­ ment should consult with the NMC and other interest groups. This is a two-way process, where both parties should discuss the problem and search for a suitable and acceptable solution. An example where this process has failed is the Palace of Justice in Pretoria. Built in the period 1896 - 1902, with a delay during the Second Boer War, the building suffered immense abuse with the addition to the north fa<;ade of an additional structure that blocked the original fa<;ade and beautiful entrance. The listing of this building was a matter of long debate between the government and the NMC. The outcome of the process was that a compromise could not be reached and in this instance the system for the conservation of such a building failed, luckily not with dire consequences. For the Palace of Justice everything has eventually worked out for the better. The intrusive north wing has been demolished and the full restora­ tion of the rest of the buildings is being finalised.

Shrouded in secrecy for seventy years ... The Palace of Justice in Pretoria ...... now stands proud after the intrusive north wing has been demolished. PICTURES: CLIFF GREEN

RESTORICA 1996

There is therefore a clear path ahead- clos­ fails, they should be put out to open tender, er collaboration between the government and and sold to the highest bidder. The demoli­ national conservation interest groups needs to tion of historic structures must only be seen take place. All parties have a broad base of as absolutely the last resort and only when it knowledge and experience that have to be can be proved that all steps have been taken wisely put to use. Our heritage is not that big to retain the building and a new use found that it can be squandered, and especially not for it. the buildings in government care. Many old skills are dying out. We need A frequent case of bad restoration is the desperately to train our own craftsmen so demand that a historical building should be that these trades do not get lost. For some made suitable for purposes for which it was aspects of restoration, tradesmen have to be not designed. Government is more often than imported from overseas at a huge cost. Eureka Factory, not guilty of this, mainly at the request of its Training is included in the scope of the Pretoria clients. When the new purpose is not too far National Public Works Programme that PAC Drill Hall, P.E. removed from the original purpose, all is fine. forms an integral part of the task of Public The adaptation can be Works. Therefore certain dying crafts like made, however, it stonemasonry, carpentry, specialist paint­ must be remembered ing, etc must be promoted and encouraged. that Public Works is Public Works can play a vital role in keeping the only legal owner alive these essential trades needed for the of the buildings. A proper conservation of our heritage. work of art always There is also the question of other state has two owners and departments playing a more important role the other owner is the in the upkeep of the historical buildings. moral owner, that is, This would be a question of education and the whole community proper communication. They must be kept - born and unborn - liable for the damage done and no changes because all works of to the buildings should be allowed without . art are part of the Public Works giving the go-ahead . National Heritage. It A register would have to be set up with is therefore impera­ supporting documentation about the build­ tive that a transpar­ ings in state ownership. This list would ent, structured have to be kept up to date and be freely approach should be available to anybody that wishes to look adopted for the con­ into certain aspects. This could be done in servation of buildings. close cooperation with the NMC. Much of Where these the documentation is available, but must be buildings cannot be compiled as a cohesive register. adopted for alterna­ These are but a few broad outlines tive uses, they towards a Public Works conservation policy should be offered to that still has to be fully developed. other government departments. If this The author, together with Cliff Green and Susan Pyke, forms a small group responsi­ ble for the historical buildings in the care of Public Works. They are consulted on the various aspects relating to restoration and conservation.

References Campbell, 0. Architects Journal, 15 June 1994. How Commerce can live alongside conservation. Construction in South Africa. 1980. The Story of the Public Works Department. Hamiltons. Green, C. 1993. Declaring state buildings as National Monuments. Unpublished. Immelman, R.F.M. Quin, G.D. (ed) 1968 . Preservation and restoration of historic buildings in South Africa. Symposium. Balkema. NMC Report. 1994. Future Direction for Heritage Conservation in South Africa. Oberholzer, J.J. 1972. The Historical Monuments of South Africa. Rembrandt van Rijn Foundation for Culture.

16 RESTORICA 1996 Wat is 'n lewende monument? "With Northwards restored to something akin to its original form, the question 'Jar what purpose?" needs to be addressed. The answer is two-fold. First it must be used. Furthermore, the interested public should have access. In this way one could talk of a living monument rather than a museum." Neil Viljoen- JCE Trust

at maak 'n argitek met so iets in sy of, soos sy gese het "Hollywood styl" was. Deur Albrecht Holm opdragbrief? Is daar ooit nog plek in ons Op hierdie manier het die huis nie net nog 'n argitek W huidige situasie vir monumente? Dit is tipiese Baker geword nie maar 'n huis met karak­ Pretoria van die vrae wat eerste by my opgekom het en ter, waarin Arts and Crafts en Engelse landelike waaraan ek vandag nog dink as ek die goudgeel argitektuur die Transvaalse hoeveldse ruimtes ont­ verligte romantiese kasteel daar bo-op die donker moet en waarin die Kaapse kultuur en rand sien uitstyg. Johannesburgse kosmopolitaanse gees mekaar die hand reik. Hoewel die lewenslustige en sportiewe Behoefte aan opheffing Jose nie op kulturele vlak met Florence Phillips Johannesburg was teen die eeuwending nog maar kon kers vashou nie, het sy haar met hierdie huis 'n blikkiesdorp met duisende armes, weinig beslis getroef. beskawing, geen kultuur en ... 'n nypende tekort Sulke hoogtepunte bly gewoonlik nie lank aan vrouens, veral vrouens van statuur. In die tyd staande nie en na sewe jaar van uitspattige sosiale het daar 'n man geleef, ene John Lace, aantreklik Iewe op hierdie barre rotsrif het John Dale Lace se en ryk. fortuin asook die huis in vlamme opgegaan. Toe kom sy uit die Karoo, die skone en wilde Herbert Baker se vrou het hom glo in die nag Jossie Brink en maak groot manne se knie swak net wakker gemaak en die vlamme gewys met die waar sy kom. Maar die romanse met John het alle woorde "daar is waarskynlik weer vir jou werk". verwagting oortref en vanaf Johannesburg tot in Dit sou egter anders kom. Londen en terug gegolf met hartverskeuring, ver­ leiding, huwelike, skeisake, hertrou ensovoorts. statige gesinshuis Na die ergste verby was sien ons vir John, nou Die ru1nes het nog gesmeul toe mnr. George Albu met die nuwe van, Dale Lace (deur haar uitgedink) (later Sir George) op die toneel verskyn het. Eintlik en Jossie, nou met die naam Jose Dale Lace, Ius vir was hy al 'n ruk op die agtergrond waar hy die nuwe dinge. Tydelik het hulle in Doornfontein krummels en reste van die ander voortvarende gewoon, maar dit was nie vir haar goed genoeg pioniers en Rand Lords opgetel en skoongemaak nie. Florence Phillips (later Lady Florence) het 'n het om hulle dan sinvol in sy eie belang aan te kort ruk gelede al te perd die berg net noord van wend. Hy het maar net vir die regte oomblik die dorp verken en van daar die asemrowende uit­ gewag. George Albu was 'n ander tipe persoon, sig tot by die Magaliesberge ontdek. Dit het die sober, 'n goeie besigheidsman, 'n restoureerder en gesogte Parktown Rif geword waar al die myn­ ... die stigter van Gencor. Hy was ook 'n man wat magnate, die sogenaamde "Rand Lords", hulle van ander se foute geleer het. So kon hy baie van Northwards: onder mettertyd sou vestig. John Dale Lace leer. Maar die belangrikste twee konstruksie by En hier het John 'n pragtige perseel van nege lesse vir huisbou was die volgende: Moenie dat jou restourasie 1995. hektaar bekom, groot genoeg om 'n landgoed met vrou met jou op hoi gaan nie en... pasop vir die Klipmure word gewas perdestalle, 'n melkery, groentetuine, landerye en gevaarlike kombinasie van 'n vrou met verbeel­ en voegwerk word boorde aan te le. Jose het gesorg dat hy die argitek, ding en die argitek. Hy kies dus 'n redelik profiel- oorgedoen. Sir Herbert Baker, aanstel om die geboue te on twerp. Vir die opsigtershuis by die ingangshek waarin die jong paar voorlopig sou woon, asook vir die luukse perdestal het Baker sy "Kaaps-Hollandse" styl aangewend moontlik om haar Kaapse herkoms te weerspieel. Maar vir die hoofhuis, die eintlike Northwards, Herbert Baker se eerste groot opdrag in Johannesburg en dan ook sommer sy grootste huis, het hy al sy ontwerpvernuf aangewend. Hy het dus sy geliefkoosde "Arts and Crafts Movement" tot 'n vroee hoogtepunt laat uit­ blom. Maar weereens het hy ook in die hoofhuis Kaaps-Hollandse elemente in die hoofgewel gebruik en Jose het 'n binneshuisversierder, ene mnr. Clark, aangestel om uitdrukking aan haar eie persoonlike styl te gee wat ietwat meer Victoriaans

RESTORICA 199 I 7 twee belangrikste funksies vir 'n gesinshuis is. Maar terselfdertyd was hy 'n man wat kwaliteit raakgesien het en dit waardeer het. Hy het aldie belangrike kwaliteite van Baker se ontwerp soos byvoorbeeld die groot danssaal en die ruim portale en woonvertrekke asook die hele swier van die uitleg en tuinerye bewaar. Omdat hy 'n streng sobere lewe gely het, het hy die jolige bil­ jartkamer van die Dale Laces in 'n rustige studeerkamer laat verander.

In Pa se voetspore Die sakebelange, die huis en die titel het op George Albu se seun, Sir George junior, oorgegaan. Foto' s wat uit daardie tyd dateer wys dat hy feitlik geen verandering aangebring het nie behalwe dat die vertrekke ietwat kariger gemeubileer is. Hy het die landgoed ook nog bedryf maar daarby 'n groot aantal wilde diere aangehou om sy kinders te ver­ maak. In hierdie gedaante het die huis in die Albu­ familie gebly tot 1954 waarna dit aan die SAUK verkoop is. Ons sien dus in hierdie tyd die negatiewe aspekte van blote bewaring sonder ontwikkeling, Erker in die danssaal lose argitek, Theophile Schaerer, 'n Switser, wat nie want alhoewel Albu junior die huis en landgoed soos Sir Herbert Baker sy eie stempel wou afdruk nie maar eerder gedoen onveranderd gelaat het, het die omgewing en dit antwerp het, en het wat Albu van hom wou he. Julia Albu, die omstandighede hom ingehaal en drasties rondom herlewing in fynste kleindogter van Sir George het vir skrywer gese sy hom verander. detail - beligting en dink dat haar oupa vir Schaerer gekies het omdat balustrade hy Dvitssprekend was soos hyself en omdat hy Bestaanstryd hom jammer gekry het. Nogal vreemde kriteria om Die jare sestig van hierdie eeu was gekenmerk deur 'n argitek te kies. onsimpatieke verandering, nuwigheid en ontwik­ Albu was ook die leier van die groep mynmag­ keling in die gees van modernisme. Northwards nate wat nie met Rhodes se imperialistiese strewes het ook nie ongeskonde gebly nie want die nuwe assosieer het nie maar ZAR gesind was. Politiek het snelweg het dwarsdeur die koppie gesny en die ou egter nie sy lewe oorheers nie. Hy was 'n man wat hekgebou en hek in die stof laat byt. Dit was die tyd na waarde vir geld gesoek het en dit ook gekry het. toe bewaringsgesindes dikwels 'n verlore stryd Hy en sy vrou Gertrud, het baie kinders gehad. gevoer het om erfenisbates net solank te red totdat Suidelike aantrede tot Daarom moes hy die reeds aansienlike huis ook die besluitnemers of tot ander insigte kom of deur Northwards en nog vergroot en hom meer prakties inrig. Hy laat mense met 'n ander gesindheid afgelos word. manjifieke dus 'n groot eetkamer en twee verdiepings met Die rede waarom die SAUK Northwards bekom ingangsportaal slaapkamers aanbou aangesien eet en slaap die het was dan ook nie om dit te bewaar nie maar wel HERLEWING omdat die prominente rotskoppie 'n ideale plek eralogies onder 'n mikroskoop ontleed. sou wees om die nuwe uitsaaitoring op te rig. Die Daarby is restourasie 'n spanpoging van Parktown Heritage Trust onder Ieiding van mev. argitek, bourekenaar, ingenieur, geoloe, ingenieurs, Flo Bird verdien om hier genoem te word want die kultuurhistoriese navorsers, binneshuisversierders, fisiese redding van die gebou is hulle verdienste. bouaannemer, onderaannemers en ambagsmanne Maar bewaar washy nog nie. Hy moes nog eers en uiteindelik is 'n belangrike skakel in die ketting, deur die meule van verval, aanpassing en "prak­ die bouheer of klient. tiese aanwending" as koshuis en later as kan­ Die restourasiebeleid wat argitekte Holm toorgebou gaan wat ernstige littekens op hom Jordaan en Holm opgestel het, het die historiese nagelaat het. Die pragtige stalle is in die tyd ge­ agtergrond met geraadpleegde literatuur, persoon­ sloop. Na die SAUK het die TPA en uiteindelik die likhede en hulle invloed op die gebou tesame met JCE Trust die eienaars geword. omgewingsaspekte en uiteindelik die klient se So baie gebruikers verniel gewoonlik 'n huis, en opdrag en wense asook praktiese aspekte in ag die huidige restourasie van Gencor was dus nie net geneem en tot die volgende aanbevelings gekom: 'n oulike item op 'n wenslys nie, maar 'n nood­ Danssaal met skildery saaklikheid. Aanbevelings van Jose Dale Lace tot • Tegniese, vakkundige restourasie moet gedoen Baker-glorie herstel; TWeede herlewing word aan klipwerk, vensters, dak, geute ens. onder, balkan in danssaal, Op grand daarvan dat Sir George Albu senior die • In bree trekke moet die gebou binne en buite en Northwards rig 'n oorspronklike stigter van General Mining was, het saver moontlik na die toestand en afwerking soos in uitnodiging na die bal. die huidige opvolger, Gencor Beperk, 'n langtermyn huurpag oor die gebou bekom en die multi-miljoen randse restourasiewerk aangepak met die doel om 'n "lewende monument" daar te stel. Restourasie is 'n wetenskap met hoe tegnologie en 'n kuns in een. Die kuns le veral in die intui:sie wat nodig is om die verskillende en soms teenstry­ dige navorsingsresultate teen mekaar op te weeg en te evalueer en daarvan 'n sinvolle geheel te vorm. Die wetenskap le veral in die nougesette navorsing na die geskiedenis en dit wat die verskil­ lende rolspelers met die gebou wou bereik en uit­ druk asook in strukturele ondersoeke. Die tegnologie le in die vakkundige aanwend­ ing van ou en nuwe materiale en metodes. As 'n voorbeeld kan die geologiese speurwerk genoem word wat gebruik is om die gepaste vervang­ ingsandsteen te vind wat oor jare presies so sal verkleur soos die bestaandes. Hiervoor is skyfies van verskillende sandsteenmonsters tot een mikron dikte (dit wil se tot deursigtigheid) geslyp en min- die tyd van Sir George Albu senior terug res­ toureer word. Die hoofvertrekke met Baker-invloed is deur Albu feitlik nie verander nie. Hier moet die Baker-inslag en -karakter behou en weer herstel word. Die twee vertrekke met Clark-invloed nl. die "drawing room" en hoofslaapkamer moet sover moontlik na die uitrusting in die Clark-styl herstel word. Die res van die vertrekke en gange (wat hoof­ saaklik vir kantore gebruik sal word) moet sover moontlik na die afwerking en kleure van Sir George Albu junior herstel word. Latere toevoegings en veranderings moet ver­ wyder en herstel word. Terreinwerk: Die aantrede en toegang na die gebou is van uiterste belang en behoort volgens die ou roete geneem te word. Daar moet dus 'n pad aan die suidekant van die koppie gemaak word met die oorspronklike hekke aan die begin. 'n Rekonstruksie van die oorspronklike prieel en tuinhuis word voorsien. Plantegroei en tuinluitleg sover as moontlik na die oorspronklike terug gebring te word. Aile dienste soos water, riool, stormwater, elektrisiteit, telefoon, brandweer, verwarming ens. moet hers tel en/ of deur nuwe toerusting en dien­ ste vervang word. Met die uitvoering van die restourasiewerk is sover as moontlik die oorspronklike materiaal hergebruik. 'n Gekerfde marmer kaggelmantel wat in vroeer jare uit die gebou verwyder is, is met groot sorgvuldigheid uit sy nuwe posisie in 'n ander huis verwyder en teruggebou in sy oor­ Hierdie artikel word geborg deur I This article is sponsored by: spronklike plek in die "drawing room" van Northwards. Die restourasie van die ligtoebehore Barrow Construction (Pty) Ltd aileen is reeds 'n storie op sy eie. So ook kan daar CP de Leeuw Bourekenaars van die binnenshuisversiering en tot uiteindelik Gencor Ltd van die tuinuitleg verhale geskryf word waarby 'n Holm, Jordaan, Holm gelukkige fonds baie keer 'n rol gespeel het. In Jordaan & Hayward Raadgewende Elektriese Ingenieurs sulke gevaile vra 'n mens jouself dikwels die U2+3 Imagineering vraag af wat sou gebeur het as die restourasie van Wedge Pretoria Raadgewende Siviele Ingenieurs hierdie gebou nog met 'n jaar of wat uitgestel FOTOS: AVONWOLD PUBLISHING was? WALDEMAR BUSSIAHN ALBRECHT HOLM J VILJOEN Lewende Monument Besorgdheid en omgee vir die fyner dinge in die Eetkamer gerestoureer na die Albu periode lewe wat dikwels nie vir huileself kan sorg nie, hierdie besorgdheid en omgee kan ons as die hoogste graad van beskawing en verfyning sien wat enige mens kan bereik. Dit was nog altyd die onderskeiding van die adel. Indien 'n persoon of organisasie nou nog verder gaan en die daad by sy besorgdheid voeg, dan is die resultaat 'n posi­ tiewe en waardevoile bydrae tot bewaring en tot kultuur in die algemeen. Dit is 'n opheffing van die mensdom, iets wat die mens uitruk uit die negatiewe spiraal van Darwin se teorie van "sur­ vival of the fittest". Indien die gemeenskap so 'n aksie raaksien as 'n goeie daad en dit as 'n noodsaaklikheid aanvoel en met publieke deelname en geesdrif beantwo­ ord, dan kom 'n "lewende monument" tot stand. Laat dit so met hierdie opheffingspoging van Gencor aan Northwards gebeur!

RESTORICA 1996 Restoration of the Old Cape Archives Anyone walking down Government Avenue on a sunny Cape morning may now delight in the distinctive Edwardian presence of this refurbished and monumental pile and the glinting of the gold leaf on the rooftop finials, writes Cape Town architect Michael J Scurr.

he Old Cape Archives, a National modern services and further and more exten­ Monument and most prominent archi­ sive replacement of and repair to external Ttectural landmark in Queen Victoria stonework. Street, Cape Town, has now been fully refur­ bished and restored as the culmination of a Background two-phase programme commissioned by the The Old Cape Archives was built in two Department of Public Works. stages between 1906 and 1913 to serve as the The restoration is part of a long-term pro­ Senate House and administrative offices of gramme initiated by the PWD during which the University of the Cape of Good Hope. attention has been deliberately focussed on This examining institution had very close ties preserving and revitalising culturally signifi­ at the time with the South African Library cant buildings throughout South Africa. The and with what is today the University of completed restoration of the contemporary Cape Town and formed the nucleus of the Union Buildings and the restoration of the present Pretoria-based University of South Palace of Justice on Church Square, Pretoria, Africa. are examples, particularly with regard to simi­ The 1906 grand design was won in compe­ lar fine stonework of period detailing. As in tition by Messrs Hawke and McKinlay the case of the Old Archives, these buildings Architects of London. They came to the Cape have also benefited from the guidance of to carry out the commission and were subse­ senior PWD architects Cliff Green and Peet quently also responsible for the stately grey Wolmarans. granite Supreme Court further down Queen Architects for the restoration were Rennie Victoria Street, as well as for the and Goddard of Cape Town, who have been Johannesburg City Hall and, in association involved in such award winning restorations with Percy Walgate, for the nucleus of the as the East London City Hall, the historic UCT Rondebosch Campus. The fine interior Vergelegen homestead near Somerset West marble paving, crisp plaster vaulted and and the National Monuments Council offices moulded ceilings and the elegant teak and in Cape Town. oak joinery - well appointed with brassware - Following the moving of the Archives to found in these buildings epitomise the contri­ The Old Cape Archives the former Roeland Street gaol site in recent bution of this firm to the Arts and Crafts PICTURE: M VAN BART, years, the State-owned "Old Cape Archives" detailing of this era in South Africa. DIE BURGER has been occupied by the South African Library. This sandstone building, secluded garden and adjoining privately owned stack­ room block are now to be fully used for library purposes and will be a welcome and elegant extension to the library headquarters further down Queen Victoria Street. The intention is also to make full use of the grand central domed hall and fine meeting rooms for special exhibition purposes, public lectures and cham­ ber music. he recently completed Phase 2 restora­ tion follows on the first phase roof-top T contract during which the copper dome, green-glazed tiled towers, pitched roofs and the ornate end pavilions complete with fish­ scale tiles and coronets were all extensively restored. This work was carried out by Gordon Verhoef & Krause during 1992/1993. The Phase 2 contract, awarded to Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon, involved the complete refurbishment of the interior, the insertion of

RESTORICA 1996 21 RESRUI~RATION

Exterior ing lift serving all eight levels for practical A main component of the restoration was the advantage. repair and replacement of external stonework. The courtyards flanking the centre drum Much original sandstone was decayed and were roofed over with patent glazed rooflights at repair-disfigured and critical location at eye level eaves level in order to improve climatic control mitigated against further extensive "plastic" and facilitate maintenance. New courtyard repair on the facades. floors were also inserted close to corridor level to Characterful curly-grained Flatpan Free State improve the usability of both lower ground and sandstone is no longer available as mining activ­ piano nobile floors. The columns along the ities and slime dams have obliterated the quar­ curved marble and slate corridors were cleaned ries. A radical decision was therefore taken at the down and found to be of pink sandstone outset to replace the most severely scarred cours­ obscured by many layers of paint. es up to the piano nobile level with available and The central hall, which until recently housed durable Cape granite, as an extension of the the reading room of the Archives, was stripped existing granite plinth. of all added partitioning and shelving and two­ Various stone repair techniques were toned afresh to highlight the architectural plas­ employed overall. Aside from granite insertion, terwork to advantage. The ornate centre cupola removed original Flatpan sandstone was utilised lantern stands within a circular heavy glass afresh for the replacement of specific and highly pavement rooflight designed to send shafts of visible smaller sandstone elements such as light down into the main hall. Old waterproof­ balusters and modillions. Special plaster repair ing was removed, the cast iron frames were re­ of less visible moulded sandstone was pursued glazed and all was resealed to reinstate this peri­ with due reference to masonry layout and od feature. appearance. The hall has been planned to house several The procedure involves careful cutting back historic book collections with new glass-fronted at decayed areas and reinforced bonding with perimeter and free-standing cases introduced to Detail of new main suitably placed copper wires. Repetitive ele­ match the existing oak panelling. Additional entrance gate ments including balusters and copings were pre- units were made for the reconfigured layout on cast while selected sheltered smaller the gallery level to improve storage capacity mouldings and isolated minor with minimal intrusion. damage were reinstated in Offices and reception rooms required general blended sands and resin. refurbishment, upgrading of services, general General areas of redecoration and provision of new, or restored the sandstone original, light fittings. were cleaned by A new teak reception cubicle was designed to bristle brush control access and also to act as a central moni­ scrubbing and toring point for services. The foyer cloakrooms the most were replanned with references to woodwork severely and polished granite in the spirit of the original stained, slur­ and numerous touches to fireplaces, original del­ ry-coated or icate bronze commemorative reliefs, ironmon­ chemically gery and so on, completed a long list of architec­ tural tasks. '::l~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~discoloured areas were manually New requirements scraped The lower ground floor spaces, as well as the before exten- upper floors, house stackrooms, laboratories, sive lime mor­ workshops and general store rooms. Here, the -•-+--1-·- tar repainting. main emphasis was on the provision of secure, climatically controlled and fire protected areas Interior suitable for the library. The alter­ A simple covered walkway now facilitates all ations to the weather traffic between the main building and cz:'interior the nearby Slotsboo stackrooms. The redundant involved the planthouse was demolished and replaced with a ® removal of the new building to cater for the present require­ antiquated lift ments. and stairway The complex has a fire detection system insertion of installed throughout and C02 protection is pro­ the 1920s and vided in the most important storage areas. The the introduc­ lower ground floor stackroms and main hall are tion of new air-conditioned partially using the original air­ service rooms ways as planned by Hawke and McKinlay. and an appro­ priately sized Restored interior ~ PICTURES: RENNIE & GODDARD 3-way-open- ZELDA WAHL

22 RESTORICA 1996 RESTORICA 1996 23 Jeug moet leer bewaar ie hoofde van die like erfenis-eenheid. Onderwysdepartemente-komitee (HED­ Die Wes-Kaap is die enigste provinsie met D COM) het goedkeuring verleen vir die 'n Sentrum vi~' Bewaringsopvoeding - in Deur E.S. van Bart benoeming van 'n Nasionale Projekdirekteur Aliwal Straat, Wynberg- waarmee die WKOD vryskut joernalis plus drie N asionale Koordineerders om kur­ 'n voorbeeld aan die res van die land stel be­ rikulumontwikkeling ten opsigte van omge­ treffende die opvoeding van die jeug tot die wingsopvoeding te koordineer. Hierdie groep waardering en bewaring van die omgewing. van vier deskundiges sal bygestaan word deur Die WKOD ken aan die einde van elke jaar 'n verteenwoordigende komitee van ongeveer deur middel van Toekennings vir Bewaring 35lede. pryse toe aan skole of aan groepe leerlinge wat Bogaande blyk in antwoord op navrae van uitstaande werk op bewaringsgebied gedoen die skrywer aangaande die amptelike beleid het. Die hooftoekenning van die jaar, die van die Departement van Onderwys betref­ Walters Toekenning vir Bewaring, sluit 'n kon­ fende omgewingsopvoeding (bewarings­ tantbedrag wat tot R6000 kan wees, en 'n sopvoeding). Volgens mnr. T.J. Gordon, gegraveerde bronsplaat in. Superintendent: Kommunikasiediens van die Die bewaringsprojekte wat deur skole Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement, word die ingeskryf word, dek die hele bewaringsveld, WKOD in die N asionale Komitee sowel as in van natuurbewaring tot kulturele bewaring, die provinsiale inisiatief verteenwoordig. Op ingeslote die bewaring van ons argitektoniese provinsiale vlak is rolspelers en belanghebben­ en argeologiese erfenis. Een van die volgende des ge'identifiseer wat bydraes kan lewer ten oogmerke van die Sentrum is om verdere geld opsigte van kurrikulum-ontwikkeling om uit die openbare sektor te bekom sodat gelde­ sodoende die nasionale proses ten opsigte van like toekennings in verskillende kategoriee omgewingsopvoeding te be'invloed. gedoen kan word. Dr. Dan Sleigh, direkteur Hoewel omgewingsopvoedingsprogamme van die Sentrum vir Bewaringsopvoeding, het reeds 'n geruime tyd as onderafdeling van pas R5 000 van Volkskas vir prystoekennings Lewensopvoeding in skole aangebied word, ontvang, maar verdere geldelike bydraes is word met die nuwe nasionale en provinsiale uiteraard nodig. inisiatiewe onder meer ondersoek ingestel na ie toekennings word dikwels deur die integrering van omgewingsopvoedings­ skole gebruik om 'n bewaringsfonds by programme met ander skoolvakke, of die aan­ D hul skole te stig, waaruit die uitbouing bieding daarvan as transkurrikulere temas. en instandhouding van hul projekte gefinansi­ Die WKOD stel die gebruik van die term er kan word. omgewingsopvoeding in plaas van bewarings­ Volgens dr. Sleigh is die doel met die opvoeding voor, daar eersgenoemde 'n meer Toekennings vir Bewaring om bewaringsbe­ omvattende term is. wustheid ten opsigte van die natuurlike, die Volgens mnr. Gordon beskou die WKOD mens gemaakte en die sosiale omgewing te omgewingsopvoeding as 'n integrerende deel bevorder. Dit impliseer dat leerlinge aktief by van opvoeding in die bree beskou en is bewaringswerk betrek word waardeur hul omgewingsopvoeding daarop ingestel om die energie, ondernemingsgees en vaardighede nodige bewustheid, kennis, etiek, waardes en positief ontwikkel word tot voordeel van die vaardighede aan leerders oor te dra om hulle gemeenskap. omgewingsgeletterd te maak. Dr. Sleigh stel dit onomwonde dat sukses Die besluit van die Onderwys departe­ met die herstel en bewaring van die natuurlike mente om omgewingsopvoeding formeel by en mensgemaakte omgewing nie sander die skoolkurrikula in te skakel, is die belangrikste skole en onderwysers behaal kan word nie. Dit ontwikkeling op bewaringsgebied die afge­ is by die kind waar respek vir die self, die lope aantal jare wat veral gekenmerk is deur ander en die omgewing vasgele moet word. die toenemende vernietiging van Suid-Afrika Presies hoe tydig die inisiatiewe van die se beperkte argitektoniese erfenis. Veral die Onderwysdepartemente ten opsigte van beklemtoning van die kulturele erfenis naas formele omgewingsopvoeding, veral wat die natuurlike is prysenswaardig, daar natu­ betref ons kulturele erfenis, is, blyk uit die urbewaring, belangrik soos dit ongetwyfeld is, resultate van navorsing wat verlede jaar deur in die verlede die grootste, indien nie die enig­ die Raad vir N asionale Gedenkwaardighede Hierdie artikel is ste, klem ontvang het. gedoen is. geborg deur die iermee word aangesluit by die siening Volgens mnr. Desmond Martin, adminis­ Rapport-hulpfonds van bewaringskundiges wat in die tratiewe direkteur van die RNG, was die doel This article is H verlede by herhaling daarop gewys het met die navorsing om vas te stel, enersyds, sponsored by dat bewaring slegs sal slaag indien 'n bewar­ hoeveel skole bewus was van Erfenisdag en, Rapport-hulpfonds ingsbeleid gevolg word wat berus op 'n be­ andersyds, van die bestaan en werksaamhede skouing van die natuurlike en die kulturele van die RNG. 'n Kleurplakkaat is deur die (mensgemaakte) omgewing as 'n interafhank- RNG aan alle skole in die land versprei om

24 RESTORICA 1996 Erfenisdag en bewaringsbewustheid te Onderwysdepartemente en die Departement Leerlinge van die bevorder. Saam met die plakkaat is 'n kort van Kuns, Kultuur, Wetenskap en Tegnologie, Hoerskool Grey in Port vraelys versprei. Altesame 24 856 plakkate met waaronder die RNG resorteer, die moont­ Elizabeth pas die kennis vraelyste, teen 'n koste van nagenoeg R62 140, likheid van inter-departementele samewerk­ wat hulle by die bewar­ is uitgestuur. Volgens mnr. Martin is slegs ing skep. Die WKOD het reeds aangedui dat ingseminaar gekry het, ongeveer 700 vraelyste terug ontvang. hy graag aan die forums van die RNG sou wou gereeld toe. Hiervan het hy 405 ontleed. Die resultate is as deelneem. volg: Die Dept. van Vir 83% van die respondente was die RNG­ Omgewingsake plakkaat die eerste kennisgewing oor en Toerisme, wat Erfenisdag wat hulle ontvang het. Met die ont­ volgens adj.min. vangs van die plakkaat het 55% die eerste keer Bantu Holomisa, van die bestaan van die RNG gehoor. Ses-en­ tans besig is met sestig persent het aangedui dat hulle 'n les-uur 'n groenskrif vir sou inruim om Erfenisdag en die betekenis bespreking wat daarvan te bespreek, maar slegs 58% sou die tot 'n witskrif oor plakkaat by die bespreking betrek. Net 49% 'n nuwe nasionale sou 'n projek aanpak wat betrekking het op omgewingsbeleid Erfenisdag en die boodskap van waardering vroeg aanstaande en bewaring wat dit wil uitdra. Slegs 3% het jaar sal lei, van elders ook informasie oor Erfenisdag ont­ behoort ook vang, maar 97% sou meer inligting oor die betrek te word RNG wou ontvang. daar daar meer Weens die swak respons kan gevolg­ male reeds op trekkings daarop gebaseer nie sonder meer op gewys is dat eko­ die universum (die totale aantal skole) van toerisme kultuur­ toepassing gemaak word nie, daar die historiese geldigheid en betroubaarheid van resultate in erfenisse naas die geval van 'n baie lae responssyfer ooreenste.m­ natuurlike mend laag is. Wat egter met sekerheid gese behoort in te sluit. kan word is dat die lae responssyfer die drin­ Daarbenewens is gendheid van opvoeding tot erfenis-bewaring die eko-toerisme­ beklemtoon. bedryf waarskyn­ Volgens mnr. George Hofmeyr, direkteur lik die grootste van die RNG, is die Raad terdee bewus van die toekomstige belang van bewaringsopvoeding, veral wat werkverskaffer in die bewaringsterrein van die RNG aanbetref. Suid-Afrika en Die RNG het reeds 'n verslag ontvang van kan omgewings­ 'n konsultant wat aangestel is om die Raad te opvoeding reeds adviseer oor die rol wat dit in bewarings­ op skoolvlak as opvoeding kan speel. Die RNG beoog die voorbereiding vir samestelling van onderwys-pakette wat aan moontlike toe­ onderwysers wat met bewaringsopvoeding trede tot die gemoeid is, beskikbaar gestel sal word. Die bedryf dien. doel is om die betekenis en belang van kul­ tuur-historiese bewaring veral op die terrein Stigting FOTO: CARLIE NORVAL, DIE BURGER van die RNG oor te dra. Twee takke van die Stigting Simon van der Mnr. Hofmeyr het daarop gewys dat geen Stel is al vir geruime tyd besig met bewarings­ finale besluite egter geneem kan word opvoedingsprojekte vir Suid- Afrika se jeug. alvorens nuwe wetgewing oor erfenisbewar­ Wat 1995 betref, het die Kaapstadse tak onder­ ing, wat die huidige wet op Nasionale wysers betrek. 'n Kursus vir 60 onderwysers is Gedenkwaardighede (wet 28 van 1969, soos aangebied oor twee dae met die tema: Die kasteel gewysig) sal vervang, opgestel is nie. Daarin as opvoedkundige hulpmiddel. sal die magte en pligte van 'n moontlik nuwe Dr. Helena Scheffler koordineer jeugprojekte Erfenisraad en Provinsiale Erfenisrade uiteen­ vir die Kaapstadse tak, en by verlede jaar se pro­ "Ons emosies hang sawn gesit word. Dit is derhalwe waarskynlik dat jek was veral dr. Dan Sleigh, mev. Gwen Fagan, met ons omgewing, en elke provinsie sy eie bewaaringsbeleid groot­ mev. Grace Gianellos en mnr. K. Koperski, ons moet versigtig wees liks sal bepaal en daarmee ook uiteraard betrokke. hoe ons ons omgewing bewaringsopvoedingsprojekte. Die Port Elizabethse tak het 'n seminaar oor inrig. Namate au geboue p die forums wat beplan word om argitektuur en erfenisbewaring vir hoerskolleer­ afgebreek word, besef nuwe bewaringswetgewing te linge en hul onderwysers gehou. Aspekte van die mense al hoe minder die Obespreek, sal die RNG sekere basiese beboude ommgewing is ondermeer belig deur waarde daarvan." standaarde en vereistes vir bewaringsaksies in plaaslike argitekte en lektore van die Universiteit die provinsies stel. van Port Elizabeth se Departement Argitektuur, - CINDY PAYNE Uit bogaande is dit duidelik dat die inisi­ in samewerking met die Onderwysersentrum van ST. 8-LEERLING HOERSKOOL WESTERING atiewe van die Nasionale en Provinsiale Port Elizabeth. PORT ELIZABETH

RESTORICA 1996 25 Wider vision wanted as Paarl tries to pacify pride and prejudice

By Reg Weiss he word "footprint" is much to the fore change our perspectives and broaden our Drakenstein Branch as the SABC tries to rejuggle its pro­ vision. Tgrammes to serve all sectors of our multi- racial community. Just how fraught Challenges with pitfalls and prejudice such a path can be, The Foundation may count itself privileged. It is now only too abundantly clear. In the new is the custodian of a broader "footprint" than South Africa, all of us have to give a little; even most, going right back to the earliest days of if some must be denied a channel so as to "see" man's association with the sub- continent. Our what it is they have really sacrificed. sturdy progenitors left footmarks - under at This also applies to bodies such as the least 11 different cultural headings - which we Simon van der Stel Foundation which is striv­ can easily accommodate. ing hard to foster in our rainbow nation a com­ Long before the advent of the New South mon love and concern for the footprints of a Africa, the Drakenstein Branch tried to gear past which did not begin with the arrival of itself up to meet new challenges and to broad­ Jan van Riebeeck in 1652, or end in 1994. en interest in its activities. Picking its way gin­ Instead of learning to share, if not rejoice, in gerly through a "political" minefield, a few Vlakkeland during our rich and diverse heritage, there are those important if tentative steps were taken. restoration. of us who prefer instead to hit the other fellow The branch sees its task as follows: PICTURES: MIKE COPELAND on the head, or who fall down at the first to stimulate interest in and awareness of opportunity to conservation amongst all sectors of the gener­ shout "foul", al public; even where no II to encourage private owners, tenants and foul was ever public bodies to conserve worthwhile build­ intended. In ings and sites; and multiracial com­ to promote the conservation or acquisition munities like of threatened properties of historical, ethnic, Paarl this could architectural, aesthetic, artistic or cultural turn out to be a importance. very dangerous Although its membership has always been l game indeed. open, the branch realised afresh that it would Truth is that have to shed its somewhat "white elitist" in the New South image and stimulate membership in the wider Africa we not community. In common with other cultural only have a new institutions, the response was less than over­ ball game but a whelming. new ref. The branch is, however, grateful for the Clearly, we positive response from the local authorities. will all need to In spite of dissenting voices, there is growing recognition that opportunities now exist to reach an even wider audi­ ence than before and to make con­ servation at all levels a key priori­ ty. Not only does the Foundation have a much wider audience than in the past but also an exciting challenge to make conservation meaningful to the very people who helped to create our unique archi­ tectural gems. These monuments to inter-racial cooperation at the most basic level are there for all to enjoy and, indeed, are a mar­ ketable asset. In spite of the unflattering things about "elitist architectural considerations" found in some RDP documents, even the most

26 RESTORICA 1996 V I S I ~ ~ hardened Philistine will concede that there is The Ou Tuin was home to many of Paarl' s money to be made out of tourists. foremost Coloured and Malay citizens, profes­ The fact that most of the white-walled sional people and artisans, but was swept beauties of the Cape were created by black, away under the Group Areas Act to make way brown and white hands, is and excellent inspi­ for sports fields, shops and offices. ration for the cooperation, industry and har­ mony needed to make South Africa a Bafana Rescue and restore Bafana winner. The skill of Coloured and The branch has also shown concern about two Malay craftsmen, a cuisine which owes much old farmsteads in the Daljosofat area ideally to other sectors of the community and an situated for a multi-cultural rescue effort. The indigenous language which has roots well first is the old manor house, New Orleans, in beyond the Afrikaans community, are all mar­ the middle of a coloured township of the same ketable tourist commodities. name, which is now rapidly collapsing into a Our cultural heritage is not, however, com­ rather spectacular ruin. All may not yet be lost, posed only of Cape Dutch houses. We need but it will require much money and prompt only think of the German mission stations, the action to prevent it meeting the same fate as schools, primitive halls and churches round Rust-en-Werk which was eventually bull­ which the life of local communities revolved, dozed. and of our typical farm cottages now rapidly Not far away, Vlakkeland is under threat disappearing. from a rapidly advancing African township Our friends of other cultural groups will and squatters in search of building material. have to assist us in this matter and, if tackled This homestead with its attractive gables was intelligently, we may even be able to enlist painstakingly restored on a limited budget by support from the RDP. the Foundation's former branch secretary, Mr What is needed is some innovative think­ Mike Copeland, and later sold to a trust ing and a willingness on our part to put our administered by a church group. The home­ shoulders to the wheel. stead is deteriorating and an architect has been called in to advise on repairs. Healing process he Drakenstein branch decided last year The branch's watchdog function still vests in to vote R3 000 as seed money towards the executive and its representative on the Tstimulating renewed interest in the town's aesthetic committee. The focus obvi­ building and its restoration. The farmstead ously remains largely on one side of the river forms part of a historic group of farms popu­ but significant moves have been made to larised by the writer WAde Klerk as the cra­ widen the perspective. A visit to the Bokaap dle of the Afrikaans language movement in proved fruitful. Paarl. It is also reputed originally to have been This is, however, also an essential part of the home of a freed slave, "Klaas of Malabar". the healing process, and prompted renewed As such, and with its proximity to an African interest in a heritage precious to other race township, it represents the sort of cultural groups in Paarl. Some of these buildings in the cross-linkage which could fire the imagination so-called Ou Tuin were bulldozed with the of someone wanting to establish a reconcilia­ implementation of the Group Areas Act many tion or youth leadership training centre. years ago, but two mosques still survive, and the little old St Stephen's Anglican church in Shift in focus Noorder Paarl was taken over and beautifully With the right publicity, such an ideal restored by the neighbouring Dutch Reformed might commend itself to overseas investors Community. who are already involved through the The Congregational Church in Templier Lutheran Church. With the necessary facilities, Street, once attended by a largely Coloured it could also serve as an interesting "intercul­ congregation, has also been restored and is tural" tourist centre. For the present, however, used by an evangelical group. The old Zion's the enthusiasm and expertise needed to tackle Mission church near Zeederberg Square, was such an ambitious project seems to be lacking, rapidly falling into ruin when it was rescued and the branch has approached BIFSA to see and utilised by the Nederduitse Hervormde whether it cannot use the R3 000 to train plas­ Kerk. terers in carrying out repairs to the building. Only the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Clearly, not everything can be restored or which forms part of a unique collection of old commemorated, nor does one envisage a type buildings in the centre of Paarl, succeeded in of cultural affirmative action, but a shift in keeping its doors open to all races throughout focus can serve to stimu- a trying era of racial unhappiness. late greater sensitivity The Drakenstein Branch has decided to put towards one another. Ah me! with wider vision up plaques at various places in Paarl to mark For those who would Perhaps I should forgive sites of historic importance. The Ou Tuin and criticise, I cite an The horrid little houses the Victor Verster Prison- from where Nelson unknown author: Where happy people live. Mandela walked to freedom on February 10, 1991- were singled out for special attention.

RESTORICA 1996 27 Act of utter barbarism

By Rory Riorden he demolisher of the First Church of positioned both in Port Elizabeth and on the city councellor Christ Scientist in Port Elizabeth will face site itself. It waf gracious, grand, and inspira­ Port Elizabeth Tcharges under the National Monuments tional, and about as good a fa<;ade an any this Act in May this year, for failing to obtain a 190-year-old industrial town has. demolition permit. Those who ought to have protected it failed Demolition of the building designed by the in their important task as clearly as those who late Herbert MacWilliams took place while a destroyed it succeeded in their work. The les­ NMC meeting was in progress to declare it a son to be learnt from this destruction is that we national monument. The developer was well must now properly structure the protection of aware of the architectural importance of the our history. building - it was the only church building in We may not have the proudest architectur­ the country designed in the so-called al history in the world, but it is our only histo­ Californian style- but ignored requests to pre­ ry. It exists in the CBD, in Central, on serve the fa<;ade in any new development. Richmond Hill, on Park Drive, and in Mill Soon after the demolition, Port Elizabeth Park, in Bethelsdorp, in the Red Location, in city councillor Rory Riorden, commented on Kleinskool, and in some other precincts. this lamentable act in the Eastern Province Port Elizabeth is not Prague. Our architec­ Herald of May 22, 1995. tural tradition is not the best in the world, but he destruction of the fa<;ade of the First it is one of only two rich troves of old build­ Church of Christ Scientist in Park Drive, ings in our country. Gone in minutes ... TPort Elizabeth, was an act of utter bar­ It is now urgently necessary that preserva­ PICTURE: CARLIE NORVAL, barism. tion societies, monument councils, institutes of DIE BURGER One can explain it away in a hundred ways: concerned professionals, councillors and For many decades the The church had gone unsold for years, and municipal officials, and lobby groups with an First Church of Christ nobody could make a development work interest in the city's history come together and Scientist occupied a while maintaining the complex and difficulty plot new strategies of preservation to conserve place of pride in Port sited fa<;ade; the land was now worth much the past. Elizabeth's Park Drive. more than the building: the building was, any­ Central and Richmond Hill and PICTURE: NMC way, little more than a fa<;ade, etc, etc. Bethelsdorp, Kleinskool and the Red Location Nonsense. Barbarism is are areas that must now be frozen. No further barbarism, more so when it is rezoning must be permitted, and fa<;ades must motivated by greed and it pays be noted and preservation orders made legally well. enforceab!e at great cost to offenders. Parallels with the demoli­ R5 000 fine is a tiny addition to a build­ tion of Frank Lloyd Wright's ing development. A law that demands Imperial Hotel in Tokyo pre­ A the rebuilding of destroyed property sent themselves. Wright gave could create an entirely different perspective Tokyo an exquisite Art for developers. Nouveau hotel just after the The ancient cities of Europe and Asia First World War. It survived attract millions of tourists because of the glory the great earthquake but that comes from old and new living side-by­ became run-down after the side. More foreigners visit Prague every year Second World War and was than there are local citizens, many because the demolished and replaced with centre of the city is 600 years old and frozen as a building of lesser beauty. it was then. The First Church of Christ There are few cities in South Africa that can Scientist was in no way com­ remotely hope to build such an environment, parable with the Imperial and we live in one of them. Hotel. It was a fa<;ade with a For the sake of the economy and our chil­ basic structure attached, dren we must do better with the asset than we because it was built on a shoe­ are now doing. string budget. It was beautifully I hope a law can be found to compel the new owners of the First Church of Christ Scientist to reinstate its fa<;ade. Better still, I hope they volunteer to do so without legal pressure. They are brave persons who admit a mis­ take and are willing to spend heavily to rein­ state the damage they have caused. I hope we have such courageous people in the new own­ ers of that extraordinary, destroyed church. The city awaits their actions now.

28 RESTORICA I99G Steenberg - toonbeeld van balans Die omvattende, dog sensitiewe, restourasie- en ontwikkelingsprojek van die historiese Steenberg landgoed naby Kaapstad is 'n verfrissende bries op die bewaringsfront.

ie projek wat al vroeg in 1992 op erniseer. Die ses slaapkamers het eie badkamers Deur Steenberg teen die noorderhelling van gekry en in die solderruimte is slaapkamers Marthinus van Bart D die ruwe Steenberge in Tokai begin is, is ingerig. Vensters is in die rietdak ingebou om lig Redakteur : Woongids tans besig om sy finale fase binne te gaan. te verskaf. Die oorspronklike daklyn het egter Die Burger Altesame 210 erwe wat random 'n 18-putjie dieselfde gebly. Al die dakbalke is van behan­ gholfbaan gegroepeer is, word nou vir sowat delde Kaapse populier wat onvernis en onge­ R500 000 stuk bemark. Die plaas se nuwe eien­ verf gelaat is. aars is die Johannesburgse myngroep JCI, wat Die skuur wat in die veertigerjare in 'n nou onder die ontbondelingsnaam Johnnie be­ Kaaps-Hollandse styl op die plek gebou is waar kend staan. die oorspronklike plaashuis gestaan het, is Die landgoed spog met een van die oudste opgeknap en sal as restaurant benut word. Dit en volledigste Kaaps-Hollandse plaasopstalle in vertoon 'n besonderse figuur-reliefwerk aan die die Skiereiland. Dit is reeds vroeg in 1993 onder timpanum bo die dubbeldeure en 'n ou akker­ die uiters bekwame Ieiding van argitek Dirk boom daarnaas is al twee eeue oud. Die werf is Visser klaar gerestoureer. Maar ook JCI verdien in 'n pragtuin omskep en die werfmuur herbou 'n klop op die skouer: Hy het opdrag gegee dat waar dit vervalle was. die ou plaasgeboue getrou gerestoureer moet Die wynkelder is gerestoureer en as 'n wyn­ word- en hy was ook nie skaam om ten duurste proesentrum ingerig. Die tuin is deur die daarvoor te betaal nie. Kaapse landskapsargitek mnr. Ian Ford onder Die opstal sluit die plaashuis, die wynkelder, hande geneem. Hy het wyd bekendheid ver­ die jonkheershuis, stalle, 'n waenhuis en . die werf vir sy treffende restourasie van die werf met sy ou witgekalkte muur van klip en Vergelegen tuine op Somerset-Wes. Op klei in. Steenberg het mnr. Ford naas die skepping van Die U-vormige plaashuis is tussen 1740 en pragtige blom- en kruietuine ook toegesien dat 1763 gebou. Die datum 1683 aan die seldsame die 250 akkerbome aandag kry. konvekse-konkawe voorgewel is egter mislei­ ie nuwe gholfbaan wat op 'n dend: Dit is die datum waarop die landgoed as laagliggende deel van die plaas gebou Zwaanswyk aan de Steenbergen vir die eerste Dword, kos sowat R18 miljoen. keer deur goewerneur Simon van der Stel uit­ Al die huise wat om die baan gebou word, gegee is. moet aan neergelegde voorskrifte vir die Die hele plaas, wat ook 'n stuk berggrond argitektuur, die groote van die huise en hoogte insluit, beslaan tans 202 ha en is sedert 1990 die daarvan voldoen om nie afbreek te doen aan die Gewel van Steenberg eiendom van Johannesburg Consolidated natuurryke omgewing en die hoe standaard wat herehuis Investments (JCI). in die Constantia Vallei deur die belastingbe­ FOTO: DIE BURGER Die restourasiewerk aan die opstal- dit sluit talersvereniging vereis werf, herehuis, jonkheershuis, kelder, waenhuis word nie. en stalle in- is deur die bou-maatskappy Ovcon Die geskiedenis behartig en het R4 miljoen gekos. Die argitek, van Steenberg is mnr. Dirk Visser het onder meer van die besonder interessant: Victoriaanse foto' s wat die Amerikaanse Dit is in 1688 aan fotograaf Arthur Elliot 'n eeu gelede van die Catherina Ras uit­ plaasgeboue geneem het, gebruik om die gegee, wat toe reeds geboue so getrou n1oontlik te restoureer. vyf jaar daar geboer Die plaashuis sevier slaapkamers het elk 'n het. Die landgoed was eie badkamer bygekry, maar origens is dit bekend as Zwaanswyk noukeurig na die oorsproklike gerestoureer. aan de Steenbergen, nder die buitengewone en aantreklike wat later verkort is na elemente is die pragtige waaiervormige Steenberg. Obolig, die paneel-voordeur van kiaat met Met hierdie projek 'n kleiner uitskuifraamvenster wat tot op die het JCI nogeens getoon onderdeur afskuif, asook die portfisiedeur, dat bewaring en voudeure en hortjies van kiaat en stinkhout. 'n ontwikkeling hand aan Span skrynwerkers wat in outydse houtwerk hand kan gaan om spesialiseer is opdrag gegee om die houtwerk te nuwe lewe in 'n ou restoureer. Van die vensterruite is meer as 'n eeu afgeleefde plaas te oud. blaas tot voordeel van Die jonkheershuis, met die uitleg byna soos die eienaars en die hele die van 'n gemeenskapshuis, is ietwat gemod- gemeenskap.

RESTORICA 1996 Monuments and cultural heritage conservation in KwaZulu-Natal By Joanna Walker and n terms of the interim national constitution. only is this desirable, but also necessary. Co­ Len van Schalkwyk heritage conservation is deemed a provin­ operatively, the national body should interact KwaZulu I cial competence. Under instruction of the with all the nine regions and guide the process Monuments Council provincial Minister of Education and Culture a of inevitable new provincial heritage legisla­ Museums and Monuments Task Group was tions that will be promulgated. Further, its commissioned in the course of 1994/1995 to future role in issues of a truly national nature, investigate the desirability and, indeed, the and obviously those within the international feasibility, of a new united provincial cultural arena, are self evident. heritage conservation body. In many ways KwaZulu-Natal is well posi­ Heritage conservators in the province rose tioned for its pending changes. The KwaZulu to the challenge and draft legislation for a pro­ Monuments Council was instituted in 1981 posed new monuments body was work­ with its headquarters at the Ondini Historical shopped with regional role-players. Plans complex in Ulundi. Its role and purpose was to were subsequently formulated whereby the research and provide protective measures for Natal Regional Office of the National places of historic and cultural interest directly Monuments Council (NMC) and the KwaZulu relevant to the history of the then KwaZulu. Monuments Council (KMC) would amalga­ Several sites in the region, including the inter­ mate, forming a new body to be ·known as nationally significant battlefield of Isandlwana Amafa aKwaZulu-Natal (Heritage/Erfenis and Ulundi, and the Royal Capital at Ondini, K waZulu- Natal). had previously been declared under the aus­ pices of the Historic Building Commission Innovative categories (pre-1969) and subsequently conserved by the Towards the end of 1995 the draft was passed NMC. to lawyers to be legally formatted. The pro­ These, and other sites, were, at the incep­ posed draft legislation has now been submit­ tion of the KMC, transferred to the jurisdiction ted to the Minister for review and enactment. of the new body. Within the rapidly changing Reconstruction of Royal A number of new innovative categories of pro­ socio-political milieu of the 1980s the KMC ini­ Residence, Ondini. tection and compliance are contained in the tiated a programme of interpretation at these draft proposals, particu­ sites that moved beyond interpretations and larly with reference to presentations that had pandered largely to the precolonial historical descendants of the colonial victors (Laband sites and places of signif­ and Wright 1980; Laband 1985; 1988; Laband icance to previously mar­ and Mathews 1992). This new programme fur­ ginalised sectors of our ther strove to recognise all protagonists in the society. However, the region's history and create a greater sense of essence of good existing identity and participation. legislation, specifically relating to the processes Partnerships and protocol regarding Furthermore, most of the sites under the juris­ the conservation, listing diction of the KMC lie in economically and proclamation of his­ depressed rural areas and in many instances torical buildings, has these are of little significance to impoverished been retained. neighbouring local communities. Whilst awaiting offi­ Disempowered as they have been, these com­ cial sanction of the new munities are all too often merely passive legislation, the two exist­ bystanders to even their own history. The fur­ ing Monuments Councils ther development of sites by the KMC thus continue to work cooper­ came to be largely informed by the recognition atively within the frame­ of the need for local community involvement work of their respective in any envisaged development programmes. organisations' existing Whilst this participative process is ongoing, Acts. and not without its own inherent problems, Despite the move to successful partnerships have been negotiated, greater provincial pow­ particularly where economic upliftment and ers and the imminent cre­ social benefits can be envisaged and indeed, ation of a new provincial have been achieved (Van Schalkwyk 1994; body, the future existence 1995). of a restructured national It is significant that this changing milieu is body seems assured. Not also reflected in the NMC records in

30 RESTORICA 1996 Pietermaritzburg where a clear shift in empha­ NMC proclamations sis in the types of sites that were proposed for 1984-1989 listing and declaration can be observed. The NMC's historical proclivity towards European Forty nine colonial buildings and structures + colonial buildings, structures and battlefields Nairansamy Temple, Newlands has, for many, become the hallmark of what Khambula Battlefield, Anglo-Zulu War cultural conservation is about. (1879) From the early 1980s, in collaboration with Sastri College, Durban both international and local museum and uni­ 1990-1995 versity research colleagues, marginalised areas Christianenberg Berlin Forty three colonial buildings and struc­ of the province's cultural history began to be Mission Church tures+ addressed. This research has, and continues to Pinetown District Hindu Thirukootum and Shree Ganaser manifest itself in the recognition, declaration and John Dube House, and interpretation of a whole new range of Inanda District. Temple, Durban places of historical and cultural significance to PICTURES: NMC Durban Indian Girls' Secondary School other sectors of the Old Satya Vardhak Sabha Crematorium, province's popula­ Durban tion, as the append­ Soofie Mosque, Ladysmith ed list of NMC John Dube House, Inanda district proclamations indi­ Collingham Shelter Late Stone Age site, cates. Mpendle In this respect Mhlwanzini Cave Late Stone Age archaeo­ both organisations logical site, Bergville have, over the last Mgodoyanuka Late Iron Age archeaological decade and a half, site, Bergville demonstrated a Hattingsvlakte Iron Age engravings site commitment to try­ ing to represent the Amafa: province's cultural some proposed proclamations heritage more inclu­ 1996 sively. However, Lower Thukela given the undoubt­ Nxamalala/Bhengu/Shange archaeolog­ ed biases of our ical conservancy incl: recent past, a long Wosi Early Iron Age site (c. 500 AD) road still lies ahead. Ndondondwane Early Iron Age site (c.750 Notwithstanding AD) Mamba Early Iron Age site (c. 900 the ethos of the two bodies, and an AD) envisaged stimulat­ Mhlatuzana Cave Middle Stone Age ing future for archaeological site Amafa, real inclu­ Kosi Bay Tsonga fishtraps sivity will not be Mboma' s Tree - divination site of the cele- achieved unless brated Shakan sangoma, Mboma there is a very real Capture site of President Nelson Mandela and active participa­ Zanzabari Temple tion by interest Methodist Chapel (1886), Edendale, groups from within Pietermaritzburg our various commu­ nities themselves.

References Laband, J. & Wright, J. 1980. King Cetshwayo ka Mpande. KMC series No.1. Pietermaritzburg. Shuter and Shooter. Laband, J. 1985. Fight us in the open - the Anglo-Zulu War through Zulu eyes. KMC series No.2. Pietermaritzburg. Shuter and Shooter. Laband, J. 1988. The Battle of Ulundi. KMC series No.3. Pietermaritzburg. Shuter and Shooter. Laband, J. & Mathews, J. 1992. Isandlwana. KMC series No.4 & 5. Pietermaritzburg. Shuter and Shooter. Van Schalkwyk, L.O. 1994. Border Cave: who really cares? A case study in participative cultural resource management. Conserva in prep. Van Schalkwyk, L.O. 1995. A new relevance for old monu­ ments: the Isandlwana model. SAMAB 21: 40-43.

RESTORICA 1996 31 Versekeringsreus ondersteun "Besides gaining the loyalty of the occupants and visitors, old buildings that stay in use, rise to other freedoms ... they transcend style and turn it into history. By showing a tangible deep history, the building proposes an equally deep future." -Steward Brand

ir Sanlam is die bewaring van beson­ Bydrae dere geboue uit die verlede vir die In 1994 is daar dus aangekondig dat daar jaar­ V hede en die toekoms 'n saak van erns. liks 'n restourasietoekenning gemaak sal Die maatskappy is reeds sedert 1965 finan­ word. Die uitsluitlike doel van die Sanlam sieel betrokke by die restourasie van Restourasietoekenning - wat vanjaar vir die verskeie geboue, waaronder die derde maal toegeken gaan word- is juis om 'n Tweetoringkerk in Bloemfontein, Het bydrae te lewer tot die restourasie van sulke Bakhuys in die Kasteel, die Lutherse Kerk in geboue. Strandstraat, Kaapstad, Groot Paardevlei in Hierdie projek word in samewerking met Somerset-Wes en Arbeidsgenot op die Raad vir Nasionale Gedenkwaardighede Oudtshoorn. en die Stigting Simon van der Stel aangebied. Sanlam het onder die besef gekom dat Die beoordeling van projekte geskied onder daar talle historiese geboue dwarsoor Suid­ die voorsitterskap van die Kaapse restourasie­ Afrika is wat daagliks gebruik word, maar argitek Gawie Fagan. wat dringend restourasie benodig. Daar is Die voorwaardes vir hierdie toekenning is ook talle geboue wat reeds in onbruik verval uniek in die sin dat die projek tot voordeel van het as gevolg van verwering, maar wat gemeenskappe moet strek en deur hulle steeds 'n belangrike en bruikbare rol in die ondersteun en benut moet word. Sulke geboue gemeenskap kan vervul indien die nodige moet reeds as permanente of voorlopige fondse vir restourasie bekom kan word. nasionale gedenkwaardighede verklaar word, wat beteken dat dit ook van argitektoniese en historiese waarde is. Die doel van hierdie restourasie is dan ook tweeledig. Eerstens is dit die bewaring van beson­ dere geboue vir die nageslag en tweedens Bethanie se dien gerestoureerde platdakskooltjie word geboue as toeriste­ nou deur bemiddeling aanloklikhede met 'n van Sanlam gerestoureer gevolglike ekonomiese implikasie vir die gemeenskap.

Clarkson se skoolgebou tydens restourasie. Die gemeenskap se pragtige kerkgebou is links.

32 RESTORICA 1996 bewaring 1995-Toekenning Bethanie, wat huis van die armes beteken, is in die distrik Edenburg in die Suid-Vrystaat gelee. Sendelinge van die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap het hulle in 1834 in die nabyheid van die Rrietrivier gevestig wat tans as die distrik Edenburg bekend staan. Hier het hulle 'n sendingstasie onder die Korana gestig wat hulle Bethanie genoem het. Bethanie was die eerste sendingstasie wat deur die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap in Suid­ Tydens die 1995-Toekenningsplegtigheid: Sanlam se besturende direkteur Desmond Afrika gestig is. Smith, Herma Gouws, voorsitter: Bethanie Restourasie projek, die Kaapstadse Dit sou vir meer as 'n eeu 'n belangrike rol in argitek Gawie Fagan en Vivienne Japha van die Departement Argitektuur, UK. die sending- en kultuurgeskiedenis van die Vrystaat speel. In 1963 is die inwoners - ten uitvoering van die Groepsgebiedewet - na Thaba 'Nchu verskuif. Die besondere Gotiese kerkgebou wat in 1868 voltooi is, word deur die plaaslike msanlam gemeente van die Evangelies Lutherse Kerk benut. AWARD FOR RESTORATION Die kerk is deur die bekende Duitse argitek, in collaboration with the National Monuments Council and Richard Wacke - ook argitek van die Tweetoringkerk in Bloemfontein - antwerp. the Simon van der Stel Foundation. Bouwerk is deur die inwoners van die stasie, Applications are being awaited for the Sanlam Award for wat daardie tyd hoofsaaklik Tswanas was, Restoration for 1996. The award which amounts to RSO 000 gedoen. Dit is die enigste sendingkerk in die Vrystaat uit die 19de eeu wat nog in gebruik is. will be administered by the Restoration fund of the National Bethanie se platdakskooltjie is in 1860 Monuments Council. voltooi en dien tans as primere skool vir die The conditions of the award are as follows: kinders van plaaslike werkers asook kinders wat van omliggende plase kom. Saver bekend 1. The property concerned must provisionally or permanently have been is dit die oudste skoolgebou in die Vrystaat wat declared a national monument. nog as skool benut word. 2. The award is for a restoration project or for extensive renovations Die huidige eienaar, die "Berliner which will bring about lasting results. Routine maintenance will not be Missionwerk", het ingestem om Bethanie oor te considered. dra aan die Evangelies Lutherse Kerk, wat die terugkeer van die oud inwoners van die stasie 3. The project must be to the benefit of the community, and it should en hulle afstammelinge sal koordineer. preferably be supported and used by the community. The extent of the Restourasie van die kompleks sal nie net 'n project should preferably be such that the prize-money will make a nasionale kultuurskat bewaar nie, maar ook 'n meaningful contribution towards its completion. beter omgewing vir kerk- en skoolbywoning 4. The project must be completed by 31 March 1997. skep. 5. The prize-money may be awarded to more than one project at the dis­ Clarkson cretion of the judges. All decisions taken by the judges will be final. No In 1994 word die Morawiese Sendingkompleks correspondence will be entered into. te Clarkson in die Tsitsikamma die ontvangers 6. The recipient(s) of the prize-money must give visible recognition to van die eerste Sanlam Restourasietoekenning. Sanlam. Die toekenning was vir die herstel van die sendingskool, waarskynlik die oudste skoal in 7. Entry forms can be obtained from all offices of the National die Oos-Kaap nog in gebruik voor 'n brand dit Monuments Council, the head office of the Simon van der Stel in 1993 beskadig het. Die skool maak deel uit Foundation, or at Sanlam Head Office, Cape Town on tel: (021) 947- van die historiese sendingstasie waarvan som­ 3836. mige van die geboue reeds in 1840 opgerig is. Application forms must be submitted before Voordat die rietdak aan die brand geslaan het, was die gebou wat uit drie dele bestaan in 31 May 1996 to: 'n baie goeie toestand. Die balke was van Mrs Adriana Andersen stinkhout en die vloere en skoolbanke van geel­ Public Relations Practitioner hout. Sanlam Die Oos-Kaapse tak van die Stigting Simon PO Box 1 van der Stel het 'n leidende rol gespeel by die 7532 SANLAMHOF uitvoering van die restourasie projek.

RESTORICA 1996 33 Conservation and development - attainment of synergy

By Wilma de Bruin he challenge as we approach the milleni­ Programme, are sufficiently upgradable for freelance journalist um is the attainment of synergy between high-density housing. Tdevelopment and conservation on the The fact that the Johannesburg City Hall has road ahead, thereby functionally putting archi­ been adapted for use by both the Gauteng tectural heritage to use as well as celebrating the Provincial Government and Premier Tokyo uniqueness of own buildings and settlements. Sexwale, and that the decision has also been Too often in the past cultural heritage has taken to utilize the old Rissik Street Post Office, been sacrificed for financial benefits. With a encourages him. "These steps are catalysts for country emerging from the constraints of the both development and conservation." past and with a wealth of cultures and diversity evolving, we should instead embrace every Tourism opportunity of preserving our total cultural her­ Another important aspect which is not suffi­ itage to the benefit of every South African in this ciently recognised in the conservation of old rainbow nation, as well as to that of tourists and buildings is the potential income from tourism. visitors to this country. ~~Tourists mainly come to cities for their his­ Andre van Graan, chairman of the Heritage torical context. Cities with no historical context Committee of the Transvaal Institute of do not and will not attract people. A city like Architects, says: 11What is needed in a new, Johannesburg which is the prime point of democratic South Africa, is a holistic, integrated, arrival in South Africa, probably has almost no bottom-up conservation approach which invites benefit from tourism. "Upon their arrival, and encourages participation by all culture tourists are whisked away to suburban and groups and the public at large." country hotels whence they leave for the Kruger He continued that instead of the past elitist National Park or other tourist destinations like expert decision makers, the community should Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. What identify and decide on buildings and sites to be do they go to Cape Town for? For the historical considered. buildings which, in many instances, have been 11Even though it may be uncomfortable for recycled and functionally reintegrated into city us and irk some people, negative relics of the life, particularly at the Victoria & Alfred apartheid era such as mine hostels and com­ Waterfront- a shining example of the synergy pound blocks should also be preserved. between development and conservation." Ignoring or getting rid of things like that rather than preserving them, ultimately produces a Education white-washed version of conservation. Often In order to create a stronger awareness among those elements which are now being removed, all South Africans of the importance- both cul­ are the very elements which relate to a much turally and financially - of architectural conser­ larger proportion of the South African popula­ vation on the one hand, and the significance of tion," Mr Van Graan adds. the synergy between conservation and develop­ In urban areas, conservation is not some­ ment on the other, cultural history should form thing which should necessarily be seen as an integral part of education in this country, Mr opposing development, but rather as comple­ Van Graan emphasises. mentary to development, he maintains. In Pretoria, award-winning architect Ora 11 II A city like Johannesburg increasingly faces Joubert agrees with him, stressing that in South disinvestment as a result of perceived problems Africa, where there has generally been a lack of such as violence and crime. Part of the problem appreciation for architecture per se and for con­ however, is that, unlike European cities which servation in particular, the need for education to This article is are mostly multi-functional, Johannesburg has raise awareness- both formally and by facilitat­ sponsored by the become stratified and single-functional with a ing groups and publicity campaigns - cannot be Industrial mono..,.development pattern of mainly office over-emphasised." Development blocks and shops. Multi-purpose cities encour­ She stressed the fine dividing line between Corporation age people to work, live, play and relax in the development and conservation, for modern city, which, in turn, helps to solve security prob­ complexes like the Carlton Centre consumed Hierdie artikel lems.~~ more electricity in the seventies than the whole word geborg deur requently in our cities buildings worth of Soweto, showing that more cost-effective die Nywerheids conserving and recycling are simply development options needed to be considered. Ontwikkelings Fdemolished. Buildings in urban This eventually led to a paradigm shift in favour Korporasie Johannesburg worth conserving are in many of the recycling of existing buildings, such as the instances not very old, are soundly built and, in Workshop in Durban, the V &A in Cape Town terms of the Reconstruction and Development and the Tramshed in Pretoria. Ms Joubert main-

34 RESTORICA 1996 tains that the character and spirit of a particular Dorrestein. building or area are often determining factors Sanlam Properties' approach of "Conserve for conservation. and Build" is echoed by managing director "Take for example the Arcadia Residents' Banus van der Walt in a recent issue of its in­ Association. Their concern and interest have led house magazine TOPaddress. "Gone are the to the conservation of several fine buildings in days that one could demolish, knock down and the area. act indiscriminately in the name of develop­ "The people living in a particular area or ment. suburb should for instance determine whether In the past technology and progress often outdoor bill boards are conducive to the area or meant sacrificing nature, the environment or not, and veto development detrimental to the socio-historical assets. Fortunately it was character and spirit of the area." The same realised world-wide that conservation and pro­ applies to architectural conservation on a bigger tection are investments in the future," says Mr scale, like Church Square. Van der Walt. "The time when companies could "One can hardly imagine that, at some stage, do what they liked is past." Banus van der Walt the authorities contemplated demolishing cer­ Sanlam Properties goes out of its way to tain facets." thoroughly evaluate the impact of its develop­ Ms Joubert also believes the conservation of ments. Even before the first brick is laid, thou­ indigenous African architecture will become sands of man-hours will have been spent on increasingly important in future. Several excel­ research and consultation. The company always lent examples of indigenous architecture, which tries to ensure that its actions create as many deserve to be preserved, can be found in rural advantages as possible while simultaneously areas. limiting the disadvantages to the minimum. "Gone are the days that unsympathetic Conservation authorities like the National farmers could come along and demolish settle­ Monuments Council do important work to ments of both historical and anthropological ensure that there is conservation from a public importance on their farms. Again, a bottom-up point of view. However, the burden cannot be approach should be followed and the people borne by this body alone. The private sector consulted. Thereafter conservation bodies could should share these tremendous responsibilities. be approached for conservation assistance," she adds. Balance Mr Van der Walt stresses the importance of bal­ Three levels ance. "Sanlam Properties has a responsibility Ideally there should be three levels of architectal towards Sanlam' s policy-holders, but on the Ora Joubert conservation in South Africa, suggests Ms other hand the company's responsibility Joubert. towards all of South Africa's people is equally II Historical buildings, eg Colonial and Cape important. The company must therefore be pre­ Dutch; pared to spend money on conservation projects, II Indigenous and vernacular architecture of although this may not happen at the expense of anthropological importance; the policy-holders. II Suburban architecture in older areas eg "Our point of view is that not only the work Yeoville and Melville in Johannesburg and of, for instance, Herbert Baker should be pre­ Clydesdale and Arcadia in Pretoria. served. Less well-known work which is repre­ sentative of all periods of our country's history Role of the developer deserves equal attention." Bart Dorrestein, chief executive officer of Stocks, The Ansteys building, an extremely good recognises the necessity of balancing the diver­ example of the popular Art Deco architectural sity of need to make productive progress. The style, was declared a National Monument and company supports the preservation of the coun­ has been presented to the non-profit organisa­ try's architectural heritage where this is applica­ tion, New Housing Company (Newco) which is ble and practical. Only by learning from and using it for housing, just as was done sixty years respecting the past, can a viable future be creat­ ago. ed. Mr Van der Walt points out that it is often not Andre van Graan Developers must respect the cultural her­ possible to use a preserved building for its orig­ itage of the country. There must be strong pro­ inal purpose. An example in this regard is the tective mechanisms to prevent irresponsible old Fever Hospital with its beautiful stonework developers from destroying our environment and fa<;ades in Braamfontein. Today this forms and damaging our historical heritage. "Stocks as part of Sanlam Properties Braampark office a company has been involved in eco-tourism, in development. Another example of an old build­ particular through projects such as K wa ing emphasising the synergy between develop­ Maritana and Bakubung. Architectural sensitiv­ ment and conservation is the old locomotive ity is shown in projects such as the shed in Durban. This was developed into the Swakopmund Station Hotel, the Ferry waiting popular Workshop shopping centre. room in Durban, Ruyterplaats Estates and Both sides of the conservation coin must be Braampark - where even trees that were older looked at continuously. It is most important to than 50 years were preserved," says Mr couple conservation with economic upliftment. Balancing these two is imperative.

RESTORICA 1996 35 New meanings for old monuments

The Acting Director: Museums & Heritage Resources of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture in the Province of the Eastern Cape, examines the changing perspectives on histor­ ical sites. This is an amended version of Denver A Webb's FitzSimons Memorial Lecture, deliv­ ered at the Port Elizabeth Museum on International Museums Day in 1995 ...

istory, to put it rather bluntly, is about people in that we can make sense of the future. the past. It is an axiom that every age writes histo­ On the more material level, communities can derive H ry anew. That is to say, every age makes a different considerable benefit from the rediscovery of sites of sig­ evaluation of what is significant in its past, according to nificance to all the country's inhabitants in terms of Arthur Marwick in the History of Nature. It is thus indeed tourism and in terms of restoration projects that recycle appropriate that as our country enters a new age we write old monuments like mission stations into community cen­ history anew through new meanings for the physical man­ tres and nodes of development. The recent blossoming of ifestations of our past. interest in cultural tourism, in particular, holds great Thomas H. Buckle, one of the great nineteenth century promise in this regard. But for this to happen, we need to English historians, highlighted the connection between manage and interpret our historical sites properly. the present and the past. "There will always be a connec­ tion between the way in which men contemplate the past Pitfalls and the way in which they contemplate the present." The danger is that in attempting to redress imbalances, E.H. Carr, another eminent English historian, explored we create new institutions that reflect the prevailing ideol­ this relationship further. History, in Carr's striking phrase, ogy in a crass and insensitive manner. is a dialogue between the present and the past. There is also the danger that we descend into rela­ These historians were themselves products of a partic­ tivism, where each interpretation is as good as the next ular historical approach and of their age - which is not to one and discarded as soon as it is no longer useful and suggest their ideas have not lasted extremely well. In the where objectivity is abandoned. nineteenth century the prevailing historical interest in Another inherent danger lies in historicism - adopting Europe was in great men and nation building. From the an approach that is so present-minded that the past simply second decade of the twentieth century Marxism as an becomes an attic to be looted for tools to be used in the intellectual model focused attention on social and class present. forces. n the 1960s counter-cultures and alienation from the Enduring Principles status quo shifted the focus to groups and people on There is clearly a fine line between these pitfalls and pos­ I the margins of society, on the "little people" of history. sible new meanings for old monuments. What makes the Now as we approach the end of the millenium the pre­ difference? The answer lies in subscribing to certain vailing historical context is post-modernism. enduring principles in developing these new meanings. A relatively recent issue of History Today which focused As far as historical interpretation is concerned these exclusively on sites managed by the National Trust in include: objectivity, critical analysis of sources and a striv­ Britain, characterised post-modernism for history as a ing for accuracy. More generally these include: respect for "pick-and-mix approach" providing freedom from the human dignity, non-racialism, and cultural pluralism. "tyranny of intellectual fashion." This is the era of public history. It is not only the pro­ It may be too early for such sweeping statements, but fessionals who have a right to ascribe meaning to monu­ there is certainly a lot going for the approach in interpret­ ments. We all have a right to interpret what is significant ing historical sites. to ourselves. As long as our interpretations are sensitive to The challenge we face is two-fold: redress the imbal­ the principles outlined above, who is to say any one inter­ ance by identifying sites of significance to the margin­ pretation is wrong and another is right? alised majority and recontextualise those sites whose his­ The truth is, after all, frequently multi-faceted. What is tory has been depicted in a narrow sectarian manner. important is which facet we seek to emphasise. oth the professional custodians of a country's histor­ Changing interpretations ical relics and the broader community, as stakehold­ What is the significance of finding new monuments and Bers in the process, face a tremendous challenge. The attaching new meanings to old ones? There are two new meanings we attach to our old monuments should be dimensions to the answer: a spiritual one and a material broad enough not to exclude other legitimate meanings. one. Attaching meanings to monuments that enable people to feel that it is their history and identity which is repre­ "It is only by understanding the past sented by the historical relic provides an anchor in life- a that we can make sense of the future." sense of belonging. In the process of rediscovering lost or suppressed. histories people rediscover their self-respect and sense of value. It is only by understanding the past

36 RESTORICA 1996