Why heritage matters

Two recent heritage related matters have highlighted the need for residents of Arcadia to be vigilant and
report dubious acts as soon as possible to preserve the heritage of our suburb. In March ARRA reported that structures of heritage significance, namely 1920’s glass and iron hot houses in the grounds of the Union Buildings were demolished to make way for the building of car ports. Then in May, the perimeter wall of the Indian High Commission was demolished. The preamble to the National Heritage Act states “…. Our heritage is unique and precious and it cannot be renewed.” In terms of the Act “No person may alter or demolish and structure or part of the structure which is older than 60 years without a permit issued by the relevant provincial heritage resources authority.”

The Glasshouses on the Union Buildings Estate Tucked away out of general reach to the public on the western edge of the Union Buildings Estate, two glasshouses were erected to serve as nursery for the grounds. It is believed that the larger one was ordered and manufactured from a Macfarlane & Co Foundry catalogue pattern. The components were manufactured in Glasgow. Scotland and shipped to South Africa for assembly. These ±100-yearold glasshouses are rated as highly significant in terms of the historic roll they played in establishing the Gardens, their age, the uniqueness and they are irreplaceable.
Indeed, a great loss! Professor von Vollenhoven, who sits on the PHRAG (Provincial Heritage Resources Authority – Gauteng) committee, issued a stop order pending an investigation into the matter. We await further news.

Arkleton Mansion (Indian High Commission)

As soon as the corrugated iron fence was erected around the site, ARRA approached them to ascertain what work was being done. ARRA was informed that a large portion of the boundary wall had collapsed
and the work being carried out was only the re-construction of the collapsed boundary wall and that the work was being done with the approval of PHRAG. However, the wall which is older than
60 years was demolished. Anton Jansen, head of the Tshwane Building Heritage Association, was irate. “You can’t restore a wall by first demolishing it.” The association sent a strongly worded
letter to PHRAG highlighting that demolition continued despite numerous phone calls and e-mails. It contested the heritage consultant’s view that the wall was dangerous so had to be demolished. The
association also highlighted that there was no heritage consultant on site to supervise the work being done.

Some important questions raised by Tshwane Building Heritage are:

1. How do you demolish a wall and then restore it after the bricks were dumped at a dumping site?
2. Where will the contactor obtain Kirkness face bricks and Kirkness Header Plinth K25?
3. Does the demolition contractor know how to construct a Flemish Garden Wall Bond, also called a Sussex Bond?
4. Who issues demolition permits or are they restoration permits (?) as they have no knowledge of our building heritage otherwise you would never granted demolition/restoration permit?
5. Do PHRAG staff, external advisors, consultants know how to form a Bead joint?
6. Why has the carved head stone been seriously damaged and dumped on the pavement by the heritage demolition/ restoration specialist?
7. Why were the anchors of the wrought iron railings cut off with an acetylene torch? How do you replace the railings? Welding is out of the question, it is just not allowed on a restoration project.
   In a recent letter to PHRAG Jansen states:
   “With great concern we noticed that neither the Provincial Heritage Resource Authority – Gauteng nor the heritage consultant have taken adequate action to safeguard building elements of the
   historic boundary wall at the Indian High Commission in Frances Baard Street Arcadia.
   Large sandstone blocks from the pedestrian entrance have been demolished and left for scrap on the pavement. During erection in 1905, with great ability a steel box was inserted into the sandstone for a bell push.
   Now vandals, in search for scrap metal, hacked this box out of the sandstone, worth one rand thereby destroying the blocks worth about R 10 000 but irreplaceable as this is rare and scarce red sandstone from Buyskop near Bela Bela and not available anymore. To our knowledge this stone was
   only used in the court yard of the Union Buildings, the staircase of the UP’s Old Art building and Public Works Department’s foyer in Madiba Street, due to its unique and scarcity.”
   Two buildings of heritage value have been destroyed. Whether or not they can be reconstructed remains to be seen. Perhaps the words of Alan Munro on the Heritage Portal will hit home.
   “Unless one is prepared to accept that the bricks and palisade iron work have been removed for off-site cleaning etc and not for dumping, which appears highly unlikely, THIS IS A TRAVESTY.
8. My grandfather’s brother, John Munro, built this house for himself and lived in it until his death. It is therefore of very special ancestral interest to me. ‘Sterkte’ to all of those who do something
   about such travesties.” We all need to be “those who do something about such travesties”.