The Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, says a process is underway to declare the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town a National Heritage Site.
He says public consultation hearings will begin early in the new year. He was speaking in the Bo-Kaap where he celebrated Reconciliation Day with local residents.
Mthethwa earlier took a tour of South Africa’s oldest mosque, Auwal Majid in Dorp Street. He also visited Tana Baru, a cemetery that is the final resting place of some of the country’s first Muslims.
The Tana Baru Cemetery is Tuang Guru’s final resting place & the structure is not complete to symbolise that although he is gone, his work in the community continues as those he left behind carry on his legacy. To engage with this history has been a profound & humbling experience pic.twitter.com/dxPbFtaXwH
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) December 17, 2018
Mthethwa says declaring the area a national heritage site will ensure the preservation of its history and culture.
“This is where it all started, whether you are talking about the origins of Afrikaans itself this is the place. It has a history of a people who have been here for centuries, you really do not want to disturb that and you do not want to displace these people,” says Mthethwa.
An important milestone has been achieved in that Bo-Kaap is already graded as a Grade 1 heritage asset. Based on the historical information on the significance of Bo-Kaap, my hope is that it goes beyond a national declaration to a world heritage site status for the area. pic.twitter.com/35auxr4yvz
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) December 17, 2018
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