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PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ARTS AND CULTURE ON 2 NOVEMBER 2011 by MAJOR GENERAL (RTD) GERT OPPERMAN MANAGING DIRECTOR THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR THE VOORTREKKER MONUMENT AND NATURE RESERVE. HISTORY OF THE VOORTREKKER MONUMENT. INAUGURATED 16 DECEMBER 1949
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PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ARTS AND CULTURE ON 2 NOVEMBER 2011 by MAJOR GENERAL (RTD) GERT OPPERMAN MANAGING DIRECTOR THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR THE VOORTREKKER MONUMENT AND NATURE RESERVE
HISTORY OF THE VOORTREKKER MONUMENT • INAUGURATED 16 DECEMBER 1949 • BECAME SEC 21 COMPANY IN 1993 • NEW MANAGEMENT MARCH 2000 • ESTABLISHED HERITAGE FOUNDATION IN 2002 • MANAGEMENT OF VOORTREKKER MONUMENT AND THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION PLACED UNDER SEPARATE MANAGING DIRECTORS: 1 AUG 2011
BASIC MANAGEMENT APPROACH OF THE VOORTREKKER MONUMENT MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY BASED ON PILLARS OF: • GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT • EXCELLENT SERVICE • AGGRESSIVE MARKETING ALL IN FAITH, WITH PASSION AND VERY HARD WORK AGGRESSIVE MARKETING AIMED AT IMPROVING: • ITS IMAGE AND LEGITIMACY • PROMOTING TOURISM (56-60% OF VTM’S REVENUE) • OPTIMISING COMMERCIAL USE OF FACILITIES
APPROACH TO OWN SITUATION • HAVE IMMIGRATED TO “NEW” SOUTH AFRICA • THE PAST IS OUR SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, NOT OUR DESTINATION • USE PAST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT, TO BE ABLE TO HELP BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL IN SOUTH AFRICA • CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS • EMBRACE AND PROMOTE NATION BUILDING, RECONCILIATION AND “NEW” NATIONAL SYMBOLS, DESPITE CHALLENGES IN THIS REGARD • BE A POSITIVE CHANGE AGENT AND BRIDGE BUILDER IN OWN COMMUNITY • EXPAND BUT DO NOT RECONSTRUCT NOR CRIMINALISE HISTORY, TOTAL HISTORY AND -HERITAGE IMPORTANT
SOME OF THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS PAST 12 YEARS • IMAGE AND LEGITIMACY GREATLY IMPROVED • CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE/BENCHMARK AS TOURIST DESTINATION AND HERITAGE INSTITUTION • JOB CREATOR: FROM 27 TO 100 EMPLOYEES • OPERATIONAL BUDGET UP FROM R2 MILLION PA TO R14 MILLION PA • ESTABLISHED HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND RESEARCH TRUST IN 2002 AND MANAGED THEM UNTIL 1 AUG 2011 ON OVER AND ABOVE BASIS • TOGETHER WITH HERITAGE FOUNDATION, TOOK OVER VARIOUS HERITAGE SITES • MEMORANDUM OF CO-OPERATION WITH FREEDOM PARK; VTM READY SINCE APRIL 2010 TO OPEN INTERCONNECTING ACCESS ROAD BETWEEN TWO SITES, FREEDOM PARK NOT YET
HISTORY OF THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND RESEARCH TRUST • ESTABLISHED IN 2002 TO HELP TAKE CARE OF ENDANGERED HERITAGE RESOURCES (INCLUSIVE APPROACH); COMPANY NOT FOR GAIN, NO GOVERNMENT FUNDING • THREE MAJOR TASKS: • ESTABLISH ON NATIONAL BASIS • RAISE FUNDS FOR AND CONSTRUCT HERITAGE CENTRE AT VTM HERITAGE SITE (R13 MILLION) • RAISE FUNDS FOR AND ESTABLISH RESEARCH TRUST
AREAS UNDER CONTROL OF THE VTM • VOORTREKKER MONUMENT (PTA) • FORT SCHANSKOP (PTA) • BLOOD RIVER (KZN) • KERKENBERG (FS)
AREAS UNDER CONTROL OF THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION • BLOUKRANS (KZN) • MAFIKENG CONCENTRATION CAMP CEMETERIES (NW) • DANIE THERON PLINTH (NW/GAUTENG) • ORANGE RIVER CAMP SITES (NC) • LOUIS TREGARDT MEMORIAL GARDEN (MAPUTO) – THROUGH LOUIS TRICHARDT ASSOCIATION (NON-DECLARED INSTITUTION) • PRES PAUL KRUGER RESIDENCE, BOEKENHOUTFONTEIN (NW) – THROUGH PRES PAUL KRUGER TRUST (NON DECLARED INSTITUTION)
HERITAGE FOUNDATION’S SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AS SERVICE PROVIDER • FSDSACR – RAISE R3 MILLION FOR AND IMPLEMENT SHORT TERM INTERVENTION PLAN AT NASIONALE AFRIKAANSE LETTERKUNDE MUSEUM EN NAVORSINGSENTRUM (PHASE 1 SUCCESSFULL, PHASE 2 BEING CONSIDERED) URGENT OUTSTANDING MATTER: PROPOSAL THAT NALN BE REPOSITIONED AT NATIONAL LEVEL UNDER DAC • SAHRA: MOU RE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL CONCEN-TRATION CAMP CEMETERIES, BURGHER AND POW GRAVES AND CERTAIN SA ABW BATTLE FIELDS (FUNDED BY DAC THROUGH SAHRA)
SUPPORT (CONTND) • VOORTREKKER MUSEUM, PIETERMARITZBURG: SUPPLY THREE MEMBERS TO SERVE ON PRESENT BOARD OF MUSEUM • SESOTHO LANGUAGE MUSEUM: VARIOUS FORMS OF SUPPORT • PROVIDE TRAINING FOR CERTAIN STAFF MEMBERS OF APARTHEID AND HECTOR PETERSON MUSEUMS • AGREED TO ACT AS MENTOR FOR GRIQUA COMMUNITY IRO THEIR LOTTO FUND APPLICATION
DETAILS OF INSTITUTIONS NOT DECLARED IN TERMS OF THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ACT • VOORTREKKER MONUMENT (EXPECTED AT LEAST R1,9 MILLION IN JULY 2011) • VEGKOP MUSEUM, NEAR HEILBRON (LAST GRANT R50 000 PA, 5 YRS OUTSTANDING) • HUGENOT MONUMENT, FRANSCHHOEK (RECEIVED R110 000 IN 2010, 2 OTHER YRS OUTSTANDING) • LOUIS TRICHARDT ASSOCIATION (RECEIVED R31 000 PA IN 2010) • 1820 SETTLERS FOUNDATION, GRAHAMSTOWN (EXPECTED R2,8 MILLION IN 2011, NOT YET FORMALLY INFORMED ABOUT NEW SITUATION) • BIEN DONNé CULTURAL CENTRE, WESTERN CAPE (AMOUNT UNKNOWN, HAS NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING FOR PAST FIVE YRS)
VOORTREKKER MONUMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVING FOLLOWING AMOUNTS SINCE 1993 • 1993-2002: R 425 000 PA • 2003 : R 1 304 000,00 (INCREASED BY DR BEN NGUBANE) • 2004 : R 1 356 000,00 • 2005 : R 1 414 000,00 • 2006 : R 1 411 926,00 • 2007 : R 1 556 000,00 • 2008 : R 1 634 000,00 • 2009 : R 1 733 000,00 • 2010 : R 1 853 500,00 • 2011: R 1 000 000, 00 (!) • NO GRANT FOR BLOOD RIVER
EFFECT OF GRANT DECISION RE VOORTREKKER MONUMENT IN PARTICULAR • CUT BACK ON CERTAIN ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES • STOP/SUSPEND ESSENTIAL REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, ALREADY LONG OVERDUE AND IN CRITICAL STATE • MORATORIUM ON NEW APPOINTMENTS TO REPLACE NATURAL ATTRITION (ALREADY CRITICAL SITUATION) • CONSIDER RETRECHMENTS AS LAST RESORT (POOREST WOULD BE MOST AFFECTED)
RECOMMENDED SOLUTION: IMMEDIATE SHORT TERM • RE-INSTATE FULL GRANT TO VOORTREKKER MONUMENT AND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO OTHER NON-DECLARED INSTITUTIONS UNTIL MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION COULD BE FOUND (WRITE OFF OLDER OUTSTANDING AMOUNTS) • IMMEDIATELY START WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH DAC RE POSSIBLE DECLARATION OF HERITAGE FOUNDATION AS CULTURAL INSTITUTION AND HOW OTHER NON-DECLARED INSTITUTIONS COULD BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE PROCESS. • SUBMIT NEGOTIATED PROPOSALS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND OTHER NON-DECLARED INSTITUTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
IF AND AS SOON AS HERITAGE FOUNDATION IS DECLARED AS A CULTURAL INSTITUTION: • IMPLEMENT NEW FUNDING STRUCTURE BASED ON ANNUAL GRANT TO THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION. • OTHER RELEVANT NON-DECLARED INSTITUTIONS TO BE CATERED FOR AS PART OF HERITAGE FOUNDATION’S BUDGET. • CONSIDER OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE PUT UNDER CONTROL OF DECLARED HERITAGE FOUNDATION (IF ADEQUATELY EMPOWERED TO DO SO, COULD EVEN PLAY ROLE AS FAR AS NALN IS CONCERNED). • CEASE ANNUAL GRANT TO VOORTREKKER MONUMENT UNLESS MONUMENT ALSO OPTS FOR DECLARATION AS CULTURAL INSTITUTION (UNLIKELY) • CONSIDER SITUATION OF 1820 SETTLERS FOUNDATION SEPERATELY