Heritage Western Cape (HWC) is a provincial heritage resources authority of the Western Cape province of South Africa.
Established in January 2003, this public entity seeks to identify, protect and conserve the rich and diverse heritage resources of the Western Cape province.
Heritage Western Cape is overseen by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport of the Western Cape Government.
There are landscapes, artefacts, sites, structures, and buildings that are of significance to the people of the Western Cape province. Identifying, protecting and conserving these heritage resources will ensure that they are promoted and conserved for generations to come.
Heritage Western Cape was established in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, Act 25 of 1999. It is mandated to promote co-operative governance between national, provincial and local authorities for the identification, conservation and management of heritage resources.
In promoting heritage, Heritage Western Cape recognises that heritage resources are both tangible and intangible. These include:
- Historical sites
- Monuments
- Sacred sites
- Places of worship
- Indigenous knowledge systems
- Oral traditions
- Paleontological artefacts such as fossils
- Structures associated with slavery
- Archaeological artefacts and sites such as shipwrecks, burial grounds and graves, memorials and rock art sites
Heritage Resource Management Services provides executive and administrative services to Heritage Western Cape. Appropriately qualified and experienced staff within Heritage Resource Management Services implement heritage legislation in managing provincial heritage resources.
Committees
To ensure that it fulfils its legislative mandate, the Council of Heritage Western Cape meets regularly and has established the following committees: the Built Environment and Landscape Committee (BELCom), Appeals Committee, Impact Assessment Commitee (IACOM), and Inventories, Grading and Interpretation Committee (IGIC) and the Heritage Officers Meetings.
Principles of the Council for Heritage Western Cape
- Acknowledges the leading role the Western Cape province has played in the conservation of its heritage.
- Continues this tradition within a transformed and transforming cultural context.
- Proposes to set the highest standards for the conservation of its rich legacy, acknowledging national and international trends in heritage conservation.
- Realises the importance of tourism within the province’s economy, and believes that the tourist appeal of the Western Cape resides largely in the diversity of its cultural heritage
Vision
To celebrate, treasure, maintain and nurture the diverse rural and urban heritage resources of the people of the Western Cape province by promoting pride in both tangible and intangible heritage, particularly amongst the previously marginalised communities.
Mission
To establish and maintain an integrated heritage resources management system in the Western Cape in order to ensure the identification, conservation, protection and promotion of heritage resources for all their communities for present and future generations.
Strategic Goals
To conserve, protect, and manage the heritage resources of the Western Cape province.
Overseeing Department/Entity
Office Bearers/Management
| Chairperson: | Adv Mandla Mdludlu |
| Council Members: | – Emmylou Rabe Bailey – Katherine Dumbrell – Stuart Edward Hermansen – Graham Jacobs (Chairperson: BELCom) – Jason Michael Knight – Ron Anthony Martin – Mandla Mdludlu – Bongani Mgijima |
| CEO: | Michael Janse van Rensburg |
| CFO: | B Rutgers |
| Senior Management: | – Stephanie Barnardt (Heritage Officer) – Ruan Brand (Heritage Officer) – Waseefa Dhansay (Assistant Director: Professional Services) – Olwethu Dlova (Administrative Officer) – Chane Herman (Heritage Officer) – Zahraa Ismail (Chief Admin Clerk) – Sneha Jhupsee (Heritage Officer) – Penelope Meyer (Deputy Director: Legal Advisor) – Cecilene Muller (Assistant Director: Planning, Policy and Research) – Corne Nortje (Heritage Officer) – Ameerah Peters (Office of the CEO) – Colette Scheermeyer (Deputy Director) – Chiara Singh (Heritage Officer) – Nuraan Vallie (Assistant Director: Admin Support) – Emily Vowles (Heritage Officer) – Jonathan Windvogel (Town Planner) |
| Communications Officers: | Tania Colyn |
Contact Details
The contact details of Heritage Western Cape are listed in the table below.
| Physical Address: | 3rd Floor, Protea Assurance Building, Greenmarket Square, Cape Town |
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X9067, Cape Town, 8000 |
| Telephone: | 021 483 9729 |
| Emails: | – hwc.hwc@westerncape.gov.za – ceoheritage@westerncape.gov.za |
| Website: | www.hwc.org.za |
