Historical terrain irrevocably damaged

During October 2023 a group of archaeologists paid a visit to Bela-Bela with the intent to investigate a possible late Iron Age settlement. During this visit, members of the team stumbled upon a site above the Koppewaai settlement that appeared to be Boer War-related.

Several walled structures were visible, and items dated to the Anglo-Boer War were found on the surface.

The construction work was conducted without proper oversight and control and resulted in the damage of many of these Boer War structures, as well as the destruction of an item that was coined as ‘Struggle Archaeology’ dating from 1990, of which only photographs now exist.

During the end of October 2023, concerns were raised with Bela-Bela Municipality, by members of Bela-Bela Heritage, a local organization, about construction work being done close to this site.

David Raborolo (representative of arts, culture, and sport) promised to look into the matter. Residents of Bela-Bela can attest to the fact that the blasting with explosives continued and excavation never came to a halt, to salvage our national heritage artifacts.

On Tuesday, 20 February 2024 the matter was officially reported to the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA). In a reply from Clinton Jackson from SAHRA on Friday, 15 March, he stated that Prof Frans Roodt, who compiled the original Heritage Impact Assessment in 2022 for the construction of the Matamela Ramaphosa Secondary School in Koppewaai, was contacted to investigate the matter.

He also stated that they could not find any indication that there was an application for any municipal expansion in the area.

On Wednesday, 19 June the site was visited again, and it was with shock and horror that the destruction of the site, by the construction process, was noted.

Ditches were dug, and roads scraped, with large areas of the bush cleared. Several walled structures were bulldozed over. The matter was immediately reported to the municipality, and Raborolo confirmed that construction at the site had been seized, as the contractors reported it would not be financially viable to continue with any construction on the ridge.

But the damage was done, and on subsequent visits to the site with Andries van der Heyde councillor of the DA, Die Pos found that excavators and construction machinery were still active at the site.

The matter was also reported to HeritageworX, Ubique Heritage Consultants en Archaetnos, the archaeologists that initially visited the site in October 2023, and with their assistance a process of “Rescue Archaeology” is currently underway. A process in which as much of the remaining artifacts are catalogued, and removed for safekeeping from the site.

It is impossible to gauge the damage done to the site, and the artifacts lost in the process. The law, supposed to protect our heritage falls short of fulfilling its purpose because of bureaucracy, and shortages of manpower, especially at SAHRA. As with so many aspects of South African governance, everything looks perfect on paper, but the implementation leaves much to be desired.

This is a situation that needs urgent attention, as it has the potential to create a catastrophic situation for the ability to protect and preserve our heritage. Laws in a democratic society are usually implemented with the best of intentions. Laws are meant to benefit society, promote order, and stability, and protect the rights, needs, and resources of a country and its diverse population. What happens when these laws fail?

The National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999 states the following – Art 5 (1) (a) “Heritage resources have lasting value in their own right and provide evidence of the origins of South African society and as they are valuable, finite, non-renewable and irreplaceable they must be carefully managed to ensure their survival,” and (b)

“Every generation has a moral responsibility to act as trustee of the national heritage for succeeding generations and the State must manage heritage resources in the interest of all South Africans.”