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Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 1999-04 > 0923340771


From: B & A Lehmkuhl <>
Subject: The new law
Date: Mon, 05 Apr 1999 12:32:51 -0700


Hi everyone
Good to see some debate re: the newly passed law.
I still remain skeptical about this law. I agree that there must be
protection for national heritage sites. However, I still believe that the
state, just like everyone else, should buy (at the market-related price)
whatever items/sites... it wants to own. To date, I have found that
collections in private hands, are better cared for than those in state
hands (especially since state funds have been cut). The following
under-mentioned makes me wonder about the state's intentions re: care of
national treasures (I don't have my notes on hand at the moment to give
precise locations and dates, but these are all documented cases):
* the vandalism caused to about 200 Anglo-Boer War graves late last year -
no culprits found to date, as far as I can remember.
* various acts of vandalism to graves in Heroes Acre in Pretoria.
* the bulldozing of a declared national heritage house last year in the
Eastern Cape(?), to make way for a shopping mall(?) - despite there being a
law (now replaced by recently passed one) to prevent this. The developer
received a R5000-00 fine.
* the recent threat of closure to the Albany Museum.
* drastic cuts in funds for maintaining Archives. It is a well-known fact
that Archives staff are battling to deliver services and those that do this
under such circumstances are to be admired. The Archives Offices in SA have
a wish list of badly needed basic equipment.
* the closure of the HSRC Genealogy dept due to lack of funds(?).
* there are national heritage sites that are in need of desperate
restoration/repair work etc... (such as the Police Museum in Pretoria,
temporarily closed as it is not safe to be in there), but lack of funds
hamper this.
* private individuals in many case have to fundraise to get funds to repair
national heritage sites.
* last year the Wynberg Officers Club burnt down, taking with it a large
amount of national treasures that cannot be replaced. The Club was a
national heritage site but did not have adequate fire prevention measures.
Private individuals are helping to raise funds to rebuild the site.
These are just a few that I recall right now.
I will watch with a keen interest, how the new law will be enforced to
protect national treasures.

Anne Lehmkuhl - South African genealogical researcher / publisher
Web site http://www.rupert.net/~lkoo

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