Minister Anroux Marais' speech at heritage badge unveiling of Old Granary site

WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPORT, ANROUX MARAIS

PROVINCIAL HERITAGE BADGE UNVEILING: OLD GRANARY SITE

19 APRIL 2018

Good day, molweni nonke, goeiemôre,

It gives me great pleasure and is an absolute honour to unveil the Provincial Heritage Site plaque for the Granary Complex in Buitenkant Street today.

At the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport we strive to provide for the conservation, promotion and development of heritage resources to facilitate processes for the standardisation or changes, where necessary, to assist with heritage resource management by implementing at provincial level the mandates of the World Heritage Convention Act, 1999 and the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999.

Together with the expert assistance of Heritage Western Cape and the City of Cape Town’s facilitation, the historical significance of the Old Granary Site is now officially acknowledged and will rightfully be promoted in the public domain as a Provincial Heritage Site.  

As a result of in-depth research and following the relevant official processes, the historical, aesthetic and architectural, social and economic significance of the Old Granary Building can now be highlighted. The Provincial Heritage Site Status will communicate clearly and definitively that the heritage community and agencies consider this site to be a major and important heritage asset that warrants serious and focussed conservation attention from all parties. Provincial Heritage Site Status immediately provides the full protection to these sites described in the National Heritage Resources Act (1999). This is indeed welcomed by the Western Cape Government as we can all agree, in addition to the City’s R36 million restoration project already undergone after being left vacant for many years, more needs to be done to further protect and maintain the Old Granary Site for present and future generations.

I look forward to collaboratively sharing the significance of the newly officiated Provincial Heritage Site at the Old Granary Complex, which includes its importance for association with events, developments and cultural phases that have played an instrumental role in human occupation and evolution of the nation, province and region.

I thank all who had a hand in the approval of the Provincial Heritage Site Status bestowed upon the Old Granary Complex. I am indeed grateful to each stakeholder as you have contributed to a community’s sense of place and unleashed its potential to yield information contributing to a wider understanding of the history of human occupation in the Western Cape.

I thank you.