After many years of having two separate heritage advisory committees for Paarl and Wellington, Drakenstein Municipality announced that going forward there will be only the Drakenstein Heritage Advisory Committee, which will serve both towns.
According to Jacqui Samson, Executive Director: Planning and Development, Drakenstein Municipality, the latest policy prescribes that a heritage advisory committee for the entire jurisdiction of Drakenstein Municipality is needed to assess development applications in a uniform manner.
“On 25 November 2022, the Drakenstein Municipal Council approved the Terms of Reference for the Drakenstein Heritage Advisory Committee for implementation to establish the committee,” Samson explained. “A notice calling for applications from the public to serve on the committee was placed on the Drakenstein Municipality official website on 17 January 2023 and in the Paarl Post of 26 January 2023.”
However, it is clear not everyone is happy with the decision to have only one committee serving both towns.
A long serving member of the current committee, Johan Rademeyer,recently wrote a letter in which he stated the reasons for choosing not to submit an application to be considered for possible inclusion in the new Drakenstein Heritage Advisory Committee.
He said in the letter he wished to reiterate his viewpoint that the two towns have two totally different cultures, so matters of heritage could be addressed only by the inhabitants of a specific town.
“Further I am still of the opinion council made a mistake in deciding the combining of the two committees will in actual fact produce better outcomes than that which is at present the case.”
“This is a matter that should have been deliberated at a much wider level within the different communities before a decision with such wide ranging implication could have been approved, purely because of the fact that the council as a body does not dispose over the necessary understanding of matters of this nature, and therefore should have been informed by a much wider constituency.
“Lastly, but surely not least, how does council explain to the ratepayers of Drakenstein that a body of professional people, together with some very competent layman, having served Drakenstein free of charge for many years, are now all of a sudden replaced by a ‘new committee’, performing the same services but now receiving payment for services rendered. It just does not make sense, but I suppose if one is not of the kind to wave placards on the stairs you will be steamrolled into submission.”
According to Samson the municipality has always recognised the importance of appropriately managing and conserving the various cultural landscapes and heritage assets of the municipality.
“The implementation of the Paarl Zoning Scheme Regulations and the Wellington Township Establishment Scheme Regulations in the 1970s introduced specific areas of special significance in Paarl and Wellington,” she explained.
“Any person who intended to develop or establish an environment within the aforementioned areas had to obtain an approval from council prior to implementing such proposal. To give effect to the granting of approvals the Councils, at that time, appointed advisory committees – one for Paarl and one for Wellington – to advise on the aesthetic, functional and cultural-historic aspects of existing and proposed buildings and environments.”.
According to Samson in 2018 the Drakenstein Zoning Scheme Bylaw was adopted and implemented, which replaced the outdated Paarl Zoning Scheme Regulations and the Wellington Township Establishment Scheme Regulations.
“The aforementioned bylaw was compiled to create uniformity regarding development rights throughout the entire municipality. The areas of special significance were incorporated into the aforementioned bylaw as ‘Special Character Protected Area Overlay Zones’. The bylaw also necessitated the establishment of a heritage advisory committee for the entire jurisdiction of Drakenstein Municipality to assess development applications in a uniform manner.”
Samson said when the notice of application was advertised it was also circulated to the existing heritage advisory committees and built environment practitioners and consultants.
“Applications from persons who specifically have knowledge, experience and expertise in the interrelated fields or professions of the built environment, heritage and natural environment were called for,” she said.
Currently all received applications are being assessed, with attention given to the respective applicants’ heritage management experience and place of origin, as well as the composition of the committee in relation to gender and race.
“Following the assessment process, a recommendation will be made to council for the appointment of the most suitable applicants to serve on the committee and as a chairperson. It must be noted the municipality has several other advisory committees to advise it on specialised and complex matters.
“The members of the new advisory committee will be remunerated for their services, in line with the remuneration for members of the other existing committees.”
