CAPE TOWN – Two significant historical sites in the Western Cape have been officially gazetted as Provincial Heritage Sites, marking an important milestone in the preservation of the region’s cultural and religious heritage.

The Battle of Muizenberg site and the Javia Mosque in Strand were both proclaimed as Provincial Heritage Sites by Heritage Western Cape, with the formal protection gazetted on 27 March.

The City of Cape Town’s Environmental Management department submitted a Section 27 nomination under the National Heritage Resources Act for the Battle of Muizenberg site in 2024. The Heritage Western Cape Council approved the nomination in June 2025.

Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews, said the proclamation of the Battle of Muizenberg site is an important milestone in the City’s efforts to protect the irreplaceable heritage and cultural landscapes of Cape Town.

“I would like to congratulate the Environmental Management teams in their efforts with this important nomination, as well as the members of the public who put in the work to submit a nomination for the Javia Mosque in Strand as I know this mosque a cornerstone of the Muslim community’s heritage,” said Andrews.

The Battle of Muizenberg is a cultural landscape site with multiple layers of historical significance. Evidence of shell midden material and its location on the False Bay coastline suggest the site was used by indigenous groups well before the Dutch occupation of Muizenberg in the mid-17th century.

The declaration includes formal protection of archaeological sites, landscapes, natural features of cultural significance, structures and unmarked burials situated on erven 87 052, 87 053, 87 056 and a portion of erf 163 442 located at 220 Main Road, Muizenberg.

The site contains remains of stone walls, redoubts and breastworks from the 1795 battle between Dutch and British forces. The Dutch defence fortifications were overseen by Louis Michel Thibault, military engineer at the time and later prominent architect and builder in 18th century Cape Town.

The Corps Pandoeren, who came from the Cape coloured community with many from the Moravian Mission at Genadendal, played a critical role in the battle. The conflict was directly related to broader international tensions between the Dutch, British and French, and resulted in the first British occupation of the Cape.

The Javia Mosque at 43 Market Street in Strand is the oldest surviving place of worship and a cornerstone of the Muslim community’s heritage. Built between 1850 and 1870 by freed slaves and free blacks, the mosque embodies the resilience and spiritual endurance of early Muslim settlers.

As the first formal place of worship in Strand, then known as Mosterd’s Bay, the mosque was central to the establishment and growth of Islam in the area. It hosted daily prayers, Friday congregational worship, religious festivals and events which served to reinforce community cohesion.

The mosque played a vital role in education and cultural preservation, serving as a centre for Quranic learning and religious instruction. Despite forced removals under the Apartheid-era Group Areas Act of 1950 and decades of neglect, the mosque remains a symbol of defiance against systemic oppression.

Architecturally, the Javia Mosque is a rare surviving example of 19th-century clay brick construction, reflecting the craftsmanship and ingenuity of its builders.

The Javia Mosque nomination was submitted by members of the public.

ALSO READ: Oldest local mosque in Strand defaced