Western Cape museum funding reaches R6 million mark

Funding allocated to museums in the Western Cape this year reached the R6 million mark on Wednesday 10 April 2019, when a cheque handover ceremony was hosted by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) in Pinelands.

A total of over R1.1 million was issued to the Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum, the Simons Town Museum, the South African Sendinggestig Museum and the Hout Bay Museum.

The Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum, which received R353 000, is a memorial to the system of migrant labour that was used during apartheid and features artefacts from the single sex hostels which once stood in the area.

Simon’s Town Museum, which was issued R422 000, exhibits the cultural history of Simon’s Town and its connections with the Dutch East India Company and the Royal Navy.

The South African Sendinggestig Museum received R153 000. It is housed in a 215-year-old former mission church that became a museum in 1979.

Exhibits at the Hout Bay Museum focus on the history of the Hout Bay valley;  specifically on forestry, mining, and the fishing industry up to modern times. It received R243 000 in funding from DCAS.

This is the third funding ceremony for 2019 and follows the handover to Cape Winelands-based museums in Stellenbosch on 4 April and the Overberg handover in Bredasdorp on 9 April.

Cape Winelands museums received R3 million in total. This was allocated to the Huguenot Museum, Montagu Museum, Oude Kerk Volksmuseum, Paarl Museum, Stellenbosch Museum, Togryers Museum, Wellington Museum and Robertson Museum.

The Overberg museums received R1.9 million. Funds were allocated to the Caledon Museum, Drostdy Museum in Swellendam, Genadendal Mission Museum, Old Harbour Museum in Hermanus and Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp.

The next funding ceremony will take place in the West Coast town of Moorreesburg on 17 April, followed by the Eden and Central Karoo handovers on 25 and 29 April respectively.

DCAS works to help preserve the history and heritage of the Western Cape. BETTER TOGETHER.