Heritage Western Cape (HWC) is a provincial heritage resources authority established by the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport of the government of the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is a public entity set up under the terms of the National Heritage Resources Act. It is mandated to care for that part of South Africa's national estate that is of provincial and local significance in the Western Cape. It may delegate responsibility for heritage resources of local significance to competent municipal governments.
Heritage Western Cape is best known as the custodian of approximately 2,500 provincial heritage sites, but is also responsible for administration of other forms of protection of heritage established under the terms of the National Heritage Resources Act.
History
Heritage Western Cape is the successor body to the former National Monuments Council in the Western Cape. Under the 1996 Constitution of South Africa, cultural matters are a competency shared between national and provincial government. This necessitated the creation of a system whereby many of the responsibilities of the former National Monuments Council were devolved to provincial level via the National Heritage Resources Act.
Whilst provinces may pass their own heritage conservation legislation, the Government of the Western Cape chose to use provisions of the National Heritage Resources Act which allow it to establish a provincial heritage resources authority (PHRA). Heritage Western Cape was hence established by regulation on 25 October 2002. In 2003 a Council was appointed by the province's Minister for Cultural Affairs and Sport and has since met on a quarterly basis.
The council has established a number of sub-committees which meet regularly to carry out the legal responsibilities of the organisation. For the most part this concerns the processing of almost 3 300 applications per annum for work on sites protected under the terms of the National Heritage Resources Act.
Heritage Western Cape inherited responsibility for approximately 2,500 former national monuments, now known as "provincial heritage sites". The National Heritage Resources Act provides for a greater variety of protection than did its predecessor and the organisation has continued to institute protections of various forms under its terms. A large part of this work is dedicated to transforming the heritage landscape of the Western Cape to ensure that the heritage of all its people enjoys equal recognition and appropriate protection.
The logo of the organisation was launched by the provincial Minister for Cultural Affairs and Sport on 13 May 2006.
SAHRA and HWC's mandate
Heritage Western Cape is subject to a biennial assessment of competency by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) in terms of which it is determined which aspects of the National Heritage Resources Act it is qualified to implement. It has been assessed as competent to deal with all areas over which a provincial heritage resources authority is permitted to act, aside from Section 36 of the Act which covers certain aspects relating to graves and burials.
To clarify areas of uncertainty regarding mandate, representatives of Heritage Western Cape meet quarterly with SAHRA. Following a court case that created uncertainty regarding responsibility for sites that have been recognised as Grade I by SAHRA, but which have not yet been declared as national heritage sites, a memorandum of understanding has been concluded which allows Heritage Western Cape to deal with all such matters unless they concern archaeological sites and graves protected under Sections 35 and 36 of the National Heritage Resources Act.
Categories of heritage resources under HWC
Heritage Western Cape is responsible for sites that fall within the following categories:
Buildings and structures of architectural, historical, technical and aesthetic value Places to which oral traditions intangible values are attached Historical settlements and towns Landscapes and natural features Geological sites Archaeological sites Palaeontological sites Rock art sites Battlefields Graves and burial grounds Sites associated with slavery Living heritage (Intangible cultural heritage)
Council and committees
Heritage Western Cape is governed by a Council which is appointed by the province's Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport. It consists of up to 14 members appointed for a three-year term of office. The council meets quarterly and has established an executive committee to manage its business between its meetings. The executive is chaired by the chairperson of the council and is otherwise made up of the chairpersons of standing sub-committees.