Yes, my department is able to maintain and build heritage sites. The department allocates Capital Works budget over the MTEF for the maintenance and repairs of our heritage sites that fall under the management of this department’s (VOTE 37).
Through the User Asset Management Plan (UAMP), system, institutions send their maintenance and new construction plans to this department for approval by National Treasury. Once approved the department releases the CAPEX funds via allocation letters. These include recently developed and constructed museums that my department has, since inception of the National Legacy Project, in 1998, developed and constructed, such as the Luthuli Museum in Stanger, the O R Tambo Memorial Garden in Nkantolo, Matola Raid Museum in Maputo Mozambique, the Nelson Mandela Statue at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Samora Machel Monument in Mbuzini, Freedom Park in city of Pretoria, the restoration of the Winnie Madikizela Mandela House in Brandfort, Inqghuza Hill Museum in Lusikisiki, in the Eastern Cape to name a few.
The department has also contributed towards the completion of the following heritage sites, the Steve Biko Centre in Ginsberg, and Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Museum & Learning Centre in Graaff-Reinet. Currently, the department has responded to a call to stabilise Liliesleaf Museum which was closed due to Covid-19 and other internal operational challenges.
The department ensures the transformation of the heritage landscape to commemorate, celebrate, conserve, and preserve the history and heritage sites of the previously marginalized South Africans. The new heritage structures that are developed under the ambit of the National Legacy Project, and are reflective of the history of all our heroes, heroines and history are: