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The Heritage Foundation: Preserving South Africa's History

This presentation discusses the history and achievements of the Voortrekker Monument and the Heritage Foundation in preserving South Africa's heritage. It highlights the importance of aggressive marketing, constructive engagement with government institutions, and support for national symbols and nation-building. The presentation also outlines the Heritage Foundation's support to various government institutions and the financial support received by the Voortrekker Monument over the years.

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The Heritage Foundation: Preserving South Africa's History

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  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. AREAS UNDER CONTROL OF THE VTM • VOORTREKKER MONUMENT (PTA) • FORT SCHANSKOP (PTA) • BLOOD RIVER (KZN) • KERKENBERG (FS)

  8. 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)

  9. 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)

  10. 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

  11. 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)

  12. 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

  13. 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)

  14. 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

  15. 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

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