a b o u t
I formed a deep passion for heritage and history, specifically in the western region of South Africa, where I live. I am a graphic designer and photographer, and have a tendency to record whatever and wherever I go – I love to travel in my environment.
Part of my value system finds it incredibly difficult to deal with the neglect of aspects of heritage importance in the surroundings I encounter. Whether I view an overhang at Elands bay containing innumerable San paintings which have been defaced by graffiti, or colonial structures left to deteriorate by intentional apathy or intent (demolition by neglect, as it is often called), I find it a lack of responsibility by the authorities delegated to protect these resources.
In our region, Heritage Western Cape and the South African Heritage Resources Agency are the bodies with powers to institute protection of resources. Yet whilst they might acknowledge receipt of concern about particular sites, they only proceed when an application is made by what is termed a 'recognised heritage professional'. I am the first to accede that every notification cannot be be adequately responded to, but the seemingly complete ignoring of these notices from 'amateurs' despite the fact the National Heritage Resources Act calls for a response. Section 27(3) states:
Any person may submit a nomination to SAHRA for a place to be declared a national heritage site or to a provincial heritage resources authority for a place to be declared a provincial heritage site.
Many of the photographs on this website depict potential aspects that are not being protected, despite an urgent need for them to be.
Chris Murphy
I formed a deep passion for heritage and history, specifically in the western region of South Africa, where I live. I am a graphic designer and photographer, and have a tendency to record whatever and wherever I go – I love to travel in my environment.
Part of my value system finds it incredibly difficult to deal with the neglect of aspects of heritage importance in the surroundings I encounter. Whether I view an overhang at Elands bay containing innumerable San paintings which have been defaced by graffiti, or colonial structures left to deteriorate by intentional apathy or intent (demolition by neglect, as it is often called), I find it a lack of responsibility by the authorities delegated to protect these resources.
In our region, Heritage Western Cape and the South African Heritage Resources Agency are the bodies with powers to institute protection of resources. Yet whilst they might acknowledge receipt of concern about particular sites, they only proceed when an application is made by what is termed a 'recognised heritage professional'. I am the first to accede that every notification cannot be be adequately responded to, but the seemingly complete ignoring of these notices from 'amateurs' despite the fact the National Heritage Resources Act calls for a response. Section 27(3) states:
Any person may submit a nomination to SAHRA for a place to be declared a national heritage site or to a provincial heritage resources authority for a place to be declared a provincial heritage site.
Many of the photographs on this website depict potential aspects that are not being protected, despite an urgent need for them to be.
Chris Murphy
t h e p r a c t i c e o f h e r i t a g e p r a c t i s i n g
For a time I was a member of a voluntary group in the Western Cape, the Swartland Heritage Foundation.
The day I was made aware of its (then recent) establishment I knew that it was an issue that motivated me. A sweeping statement, I am aware, but it does not appear that the citizens of the country are overtly perturbed by the destruction of heritage resources. I include not only the built environment, but aspects of cultural value.
In South Africa a public holiday is allocated to the very subject: National Heritage Day (every 24 September) and overall during the same month a focus apparently exists to create awareness, and to celebrate. This latter aspects seems to be the main drive, but not necessarily with heritage in mind. A day to braai takes precedence.
From the outset I realised that a struggle was on the cards. Few of my own friends appreciated what was (and still is) at stake with the loss of history. To crown the scenario the public whose very heritage we attempted to protect, often citing an extra step or cost in the process of altering or demolishing structures older than sixty years, were not particularly accommodating in may cases.
According to legislation (The National Heritage Resources Act, 1999) the local authority, which in our case was Heritage Western Cape (HWC), were obliged to take cognisance, so we felt we had a purpose.
For a decade I/we persevered; for the latter period I was chairman. I made presentations to the local municipality and businesses in the area, I travelled extensively around the Swartland region, gaining knowledge of a wide range of properties and the landscape in which they were situated, making comments. Many of the people I encountered greeted me in the street – I usually remembered them, especially when there had been major issues to contend with, but most of all I could mostly recollect their buildings. I wrote newsletters, and prepared leaflets and documents to guide in applications, building methodologies, conservation techniques . . .
During a particularly sad time, two of the SHF committee members passed away in quick succession. It sounded the death-knell of the group managing the foundation. I am not particularly sure why, it just appeared that the organisation had run out of steam.
Towards the end of this time I attended a two part-time courses in heritage conservation at the University of Cape Town. facilitated by Dr Stephen Townsend. I felt that this was the opportunity for me to utilise the knowledge I had gained over the decade and with the addition of some formal training, begin to apply this to operating in the heritage sector. I was not particularly inclined to tackle the larger Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs, which required a field of experience to which I had not been readily exposed), but rather to deal with applications regarding the altering and demolishing of structures covered by a specific part of the Act, Section 34.
I registered with a professional body, the Association of Professional Heritage Practitioners, as they are now. An aspect that appeared to exist to assist me was a mentoring scheme, whereby an experienced professional could basically oversee and guide me regarding my conclusions. It seemed a logical and intelligent way to proceed, except that a practitioner was not based in my immediate vicinity and when I attempted contact found that the person was invariably too busy.
BUT the aspect I had not even considered in my naivety was the 'closed shop' attitude of this particular profession, probably like most if I had taken the time to ponder. The last time I had encountered this was when I tried to work in England and was forced to join a trade union (against my wishes) in order to do so,
I had no great inclination to believe that I was in any way going to overwhelm the field in which I had decided to work; I was acutely aware that the practitioners had been involved for quite some considerable time. I, however, contemplated that there were many projects where owners of potentially protected structures were avoiding their legal obligations because of the financial and time delays involved in applications. This is where I had desired to concentrate.
I feel incredibly strongly about what is a serious situation regarding the preservation of heritage. One result is that I have launched a couple of websites: one of my objectives is to expose some of the numerous photographs I have taken over the years, a record of structures and sites I have encountered. I also ultimately wish to use it as a vehicle to highlight specific 'projects' that are in need of protection.
For a time I was a member of a voluntary group in the Western Cape, the Swartland Heritage Foundation.
The day I was made aware of its (then recent) establishment I knew that it was an issue that motivated me. A sweeping statement, I am aware, but it does not appear that the citizens of the country are overtly perturbed by the destruction of heritage resources. I include not only the built environment, but aspects of cultural value.
In South Africa a public holiday is allocated to the very subject: National Heritage Day (every 24 September) and overall during the same month a focus apparently exists to create awareness, and to celebrate. This latter aspects seems to be the main drive, but not necessarily with heritage in mind. A day to braai takes precedence.
From the outset I realised that a struggle was on the cards. Few of my own friends appreciated what was (and still is) at stake with the loss of history. To crown the scenario the public whose very heritage we attempted to protect, often citing an extra step or cost in the process of altering or demolishing structures older than sixty years, were not particularly accommodating in may cases.
According to legislation (The National Heritage Resources Act, 1999) the local authority, which in our case was Heritage Western Cape (HWC), were obliged to take cognisance, so we felt we had a purpose.
For a decade I/we persevered; for the latter period I was chairman. I made presentations to the local municipality and businesses in the area, I travelled extensively around the Swartland region, gaining knowledge of a wide range of properties and the landscape in which they were situated, making comments. Many of the people I encountered greeted me in the street – I usually remembered them, especially when there had been major issues to contend with, but most of all I could mostly recollect their buildings. I wrote newsletters, and prepared leaflets and documents to guide in applications, building methodologies, conservation techniques . . .
During a particularly sad time, two of the SHF committee members passed away in quick succession. It sounded the death-knell of the group managing the foundation. I am not particularly sure why, it just appeared that the organisation had run out of steam.
Towards the end of this time I attended a two part-time courses in heritage conservation at the University of Cape Town. facilitated by Dr Stephen Townsend. I felt that this was the opportunity for me to utilise the knowledge I had gained over the decade and with the addition of some formal training, begin to apply this to operating in the heritage sector. I was not particularly inclined to tackle the larger Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs, which required a field of experience to which I had not been readily exposed), but rather to deal with applications regarding the altering and demolishing of structures covered by a specific part of the Act, Section 34.
I registered with a professional body, the Association of Professional Heritage Practitioners, as they are now. An aspect that appeared to exist to assist me was a mentoring scheme, whereby an experienced professional could basically oversee and guide me regarding my conclusions. It seemed a logical and intelligent way to proceed, except that a practitioner was not based in my immediate vicinity and when I attempted contact found that the person was invariably too busy.
BUT the aspect I had not even considered in my naivety was the 'closed shop' attitude of this particular profession, probably like most if I had taken the time to ponder. The last time I had encountered this was when I tried to work in England and was forced to join a trade union (against my wishes) in order to do so,
I had no great inclination to believe that I was in any way going to overwhelm the field in which I had decided to work; I was acutely aware that the practitioners had been involved for quite some considerable time. I, however, contemplated that there were many projects where owners of potentially protected structures were avoiding their legal obligations because of the financial and time delays involved in applications. This is where I had desired to concentrate.
I feel incredibly strongly about what is a serious situation regarding the preservation of heritage. One result is that I have launched a couple of websites: one of my objectives is to expose some of the numerous photographs I have taken over the years, a record of structures and sites I have encountered. I also ultimately wish to use it as a vehicle to highlight specific 'projects' that are in need of protection.