Heritage Western Cape

Protecting our Heritage

Heritage Western Cape is a provincial heritage resources authority. Established in January 2003, this public entity seeks to identify, protect and conserve the rich and diverse heritage resources of the Western Cape. There are landscapes, sites, artefacts, buildings and structures that are of significance to the people of the Western Cape. 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:

• Monuments,
• Places of worship,
• Historical sites,
• Sacred sites,
• Oral traditions,
• Indigenous knowledge systems,
• Structures associated with slavery,
• Paleontological artefacts such as fossils
• 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), Archaeological, Palaeontological and Meteorites Permit Committee (APM), Appeals Committee, Impact Assessment Commitee (IACOM), and Inventories, Grading and Interpretation Committee (IGIC).

Principles of the Council for HWC:

• Acknowledges the leading role the Western Cape Province has played in the conservation of our 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 our economy, and believes that the tourist appeal of the Western Cape resides largely in the diversity of its cultural heritage

Members 

Reyhana Gani (Chair), Adv Mandla Mdludlu, Dennis Belter, Ron Martin, Siphiwo Mavumengwana, Tyrone Ontong, Cornelia Smarts, Heidi Boise, Cedric Daniels 

Applications for various considerations impacting heritage assets must be submitted on the correct application form which are provided in both PDF and MS Word formats for ease of access. 

Select, complete and submit the relevant form: 

• Form A (Section 27/28/29/31/34) - Application for a Permit: PDF | Word
• Form B (Section 38) - Notification for Intent to Develop: PDF | Word
• Form C (Section 27/35) - Excavation: PDF | Word
• Form D (Section 27/35/38) - Repository Registration: PDF | Word
• Form E (Section 27/35) - Destructive Analysis: PDF | Word
• Form F (Section 49) - Appeal Application: PDF | Word
• Form G (Section 27/29/31/34/35/36/38) - Work Plan: PDF | Word
• Form H (Section 29) - Provisional Protection: PDF | Word
• Form I (Section 27) - PHS Nomination Form: PDF | Word
• Form J (Section 25) - Conservation Body Registration: PDF | Word