Cultural Affairs and Sport
With reference to concerns raised regarding the proposed high-rise development in the historic core of the Cape Town CBD, including objections from heritage bodies and concerns about limited public awareness during the public participation process:
- What oversight role does his Department play in developments that may affect heritage sites, historic urban areas and culturally significant communities in the province and (b) what role does his Department, including Heritage Western Cape, play in ensuring meaningful public participation in developments affecting heritage sites, historic urban areas and culturally significant areas?
- The Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport appoints a Council to govern the public entity Heritage Western Cape (HWC), in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act 25 of 1999) (NHRA). The Minister functions as the executive authority of HWC. The Department provides HWC with the necessary resources, including operational funding and staffing support to perform its functions.
HWC plays a statutory oversight role in ensuring meaningful public participation in developments affecting heritage sites, historic urban areas and culturally significant places. In terms of the NHRA, HWC is required to ensure that heritage considerations, including public inputs, are integrated into development decision‑making. Where development proposals trigger heritage processes under the Act, applicants are required to undertake public participation as part of Heritage Impact Assessments.
- HWC ensures that affected communities, interested and affected parties and heritage stakeholders are afforded the opportunity to comment on proposed developments. Applications are processed through the South African Heritage Resources Information System (SAHRIS), which allows public access to applications and facilitates the submission of comments and objections within prescribed timeframes.
Public submissions received are formally considered in Heritage Western Cape’s assessment of applications and inform decisions, including the imposition of conditions, requests for design revisions, or refusal where unacceptable heritage impacts are identified.
HWC also works in coordination with municipalities to align heritage processes with planning and land‑use management procedures, particularly in sensitive areas such as the historic core of Cape Town, where scale, height and cumulative impacts are key considerations.
