Gauteng’s heritage sites are falling apart

September is both Heritage and Tourism Month and in Gauteng, R9.2 million is being directed to heritage sites that are barely functional or incomplete.

DA shadow MEC for sports, arts and culture Kingsol Chabalala said the delays are hindering local tourism. “The heritage sites could attract investment to grow the local economy and create employment opportunities in our townships.

“The unnecessary delays by the department in the completion of these monuments are denying our youth access to empowerment and upskilling opportunities which could be offered by these facilities,” said Chabalala.

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Three heritage sites in bad state

The three heritage sites to which the DA referred were the Women’s Living Heritage and Monument Centre in Pretoria, the Boipatong Monument and Youth Centre in Vaal and the Kagiso Memorial and Recreation Centre in Mogale City.

The facilities were built in 2012, 2011 and 2016 respectively. On its website, Women’s Living Heritage is said to be the first “institution in the world devoted to women’s role in the history of the struggle for liberation in Southern Africa and Africa”.

Yet, currently, its toilets and roof is leaking, the walls are cracked and the courtyard is full of weeds. The Gauteng department of sports, arts, culture and recreation has installed a new art incubator, which is empty, said Chabalala.

By 2022, the Women’s Living Heritage and Monument centre had not been issued an occupancy certificate because of a list of compliance issues.

This was after R200 million had gone into completing the infrastructure.

Yesterday, City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the monument was still non-compliant, even though it has been completed.

The MEC of sports, arts and culture said the Boipatong Monument was maintained at a cost of R2 972 000 per quarter for the 2023-2024 financial year.

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ANC denies there are problems

The ANC in the Velile Mkhontwana local municipality denied there were any problems, saying the monument was functional and there were no issues with regard to water and electricity.

“There are school programmes happening at the centre and we host events for government departments and other institutions as we have extra activity rooms,” said the party.

But Kagiso residents said the Memorial and Youth Centre has “constant issues with water and electricity”.

They sent photographs and said: “The showers don’t work, the toilets don’t work, there’s only electricity when there are big events and they make us pay, yet it’s government funded”.

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