Question NW1473 to the MINISTER OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE

Reply:

There is currently (a) no complete consolidated number of statues of (i) colonial and (ii) apartheid figures in the Republic. The management of monuments, memorials and statues is the responsibility of Provincial Heritage Resources Authorities (PHRAs).

Only when the inventory of these resources is submitted to SAHRA by the PHRAs as heritage registers do they get incorporated into the heritage resources inventory on the South African Heritage Resources Information System (SAHRIS).

The table attached as annexure A provides the list of 24 heritage resources that are currently classified as monuments or memorials and listed on SAHRIS. This list is incomplete as PHRAs must still audit and do an inventory of statues in provinces and submit to SAHRA for incorporation into the national inventory.

(d) The formal requirements to remove or relocate a statue or monument are:

• Completion of a permit application form for submission to the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority;
• The Heritage Impact Assessment Report prepared by a qualified heritage practitioner or consultant must be attached as supporting documentation.
• Such report should be based on solid research principles, including an assessment of the impact of the proposed removal/relocation, and if necessary, proposed mitigation measures.
• A public consultation process of at least 30-days that may include, but is not limited to, the following:
• Public Notices and advertisements that must be placed in National as well as local newspapers, indicating:

1. the intention to move or remove the statue/monument; and
2. contacting and inviting comments from interested and affected parties.
3. preparation of a Conservation Management Plan
4. presentation to the PHRA heritage permit committee meeting as may be required.

The committee then makes its findings based on the presentation of the processes above and may require further investigations. In the event that the applicant is not satisfied with the decision of the permit committee, they can appeal to the PHRA Council. Similarly, in the event that they are not satisfied with the decision of the PHRA Council, they can appeal to the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) in terms of Section 49 of the National Heritage resources Act, Act No. 25 of 1999. The MEC is by law required to appoint an Independent Tribunal comprising of experts to consider the matter and give a final recommendation.

The cost of this process is all borne by the applicant.