Provincial heritage sites in South Africa are places that are of historic or cultural importance within the context of the province concerned and which are for this reason declared in terms of Section 28 of the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA) or legislation of the applicable province. [1] The designation was a new one that came into effect with the introduction of the Act on 1 April 2000 when all former national monuments declared by the former National Monuments Council and its predecessors became provincial heritage sites as provided for in Section 58 of the Act. [2]
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini (Swaziland); and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho. South Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 25th-largest country in the world by land area and, with over 57 million people, is the world's 24th-most populous nation. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere. About 80 percent of South Africans are of Bantu ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages, nine of which have official status. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of European, Asian (Indian), and multiracial (Coloured) ancestry.
The National Monuments Council (NMC) was the national heritage conservation authority of South Africa, and therefore also of Namibia, during the major part of the apartheid era. It was the successor body to the Historical Monuments Commission and became known principally for its declaration of several thousand national monuments. It came into being through the promulgation of the National Monuments Act of 1969 and ceased to exist on 31 March 2000 when it was replaced by SAHRA and the provincial heritage resources authorities established in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999.
Contents
Both provincial and national heritage sites are protected under the terms of Section 27 of the NHRA or legislation of the relevant province and a permit is required to work on them. Provincial heritage sites are declared and administered by the relevant provincial heritage resources authority whilst national heritage sites are the responsibility of SAHRA.
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) is the national administrative body responsible for the protection of South Africa's cultural heritage. It was established through the National Heritage Resources Act, number 25 of 1999and together with provincial heritage resources authorities is one of the bodies that replaced the National Monuments Council.
KwaZulu-Natal is the only province to have its own heritage legislation and provincial heritage sites are known as either 'heritage landmarks' or 'provincial landmarks' depending upon whether they are privately or government owned. [3]
Most provincial heritage sites are still marked with an old national monuments badge, but provincial heritage resources authorities in KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape and Western Cape have developed their own badges.
