Save the Kroonstad Town Hall

15/04/2021

If you agree that the violence against LGBTQI+ in South Africa must stop, change your profile pic to the image of the LGBTQI+ flag being devoured by a blackened SA flag, which no longer represent the rainbow nation, but death!

24/12/2020

Updated photos of Kroonstad townhall

28/09/2020

I recently contacted the Eastern Cape Heritage agency regarding a house that was built by a British settler completed in 1936. Even though it is no architectural marvel, facing due south like it does in England, extremely cold, and 3 additions has been done to the property, creating some historic layering. I suggested ECHRA consider the house for heritage purposes due to its age, location, but more importantly, as there are, what appears to be, original bushman paintings against the stone used to build the entrance to the property. Next to it, a kid has drawn his pencil sketch comparison, showing how times have changed. The house owned by a trust of whom the Trustee has relocated back to England, has no real vested interest in the property. South African Heritage Resources AgencyitageAgency

28/09/2020

While working for an architectural firm in Bethlehem, some alterations was planned for the new additions to the Royal Hotel (a national heritage site). I left before construction started, but when I returned a few years later, they have destroyed the historic Royal Hotel with some kitch post modern face lift detail. To my surprise I was informed that the architect got of Scott free, whilst the owner of the Royal was fined a whopping R 500. In all fairness, not all heritage is everyone's heritage, and this remains a point of contention. But fining someone R 500 and letting the expert, learned professional off without as much as a slap on the wrist sets a horrible example.

28/09/2020

The National Heritage Act established SAHRA to manage and administer the state of heritage sites according to certain rules, and they have the power to issue compulsory repair orders to whomever is using / owning the building. They may also appoint a guardian for the building, which will then according to the act, transfer the responsibility for maintenance and care to the other person, which must be captured in an agreement with the "owner.

28/09/2020

The National Heritage Act defines the "owner" who has certain duties to look after heritage sites, as follows:

28/09/2020

Extract from the 1986 Government Gazette, where the Town Hall was declared a National Monument.

02/08/2018

Kroonstad Town Hall mentioned in this brilliant article regarding heritage buildings...

The aim of the annual endangered heritage campaign run by the Heritage Monitoring Project is to raise awareness of South Africa’s most at risk sites. While the call for nominations for the 2018 campaign is issued this week (click here to view), we asked site champions and community activists for u...

07/04/2018

Drove past the town hall last weekend, as I had to travel past Kroonstad due to an emergency trip I had to do.

Shocking to see how the building is deteriorating! The window that was missing 7 months ago, has STILL not been replaced and since, several others have been broken and a few was open.

Water ingress through these openings, are probably destroying the timber interiors of the building, while birds, rats, etc. that can get into the building will further the destruction.

I am not sure what the current state regarding the building is, but there were two juristic bodies managing it, Kroonstad Business and Tourism, as tenant of the building and Moqhaka Council as the owner of the building.

The fact that the governing body of Kroonstad and the principle private body (dealing with town business, marketing and tourism) are not able to maintain this National Monument, raises several questions relating to the future of our heritage treasures.

These buildings are not easy or cheap to maintain, and often result in deterioration due to the actual costs and processes involved, as required by the relevant Act. An alternative approach should be used to deal with these buildings.

As a way out there comment, without the relevant investigations and studies, but as an option to be considered. An option is to sell the building to a private company, who knows the constraints on the building, but also the values and uses of it. Then to consider a reduction in the property and services levies for these buildings, to empower the historic building owners to utilize those funds to maintain the properties. By utilizing specialist heritage consultants, uses and buildings can be altered, if approached correctly, and done inline with heritage guidelines.

If something is not done soon, it will not be feasible to repair the building to something that is safe and usable, not to mention to it's earlier glory.

Having worked on various heritage buildings, the complications due to materials,aesthetics, legal requirements,etc. are excessive, and everyone should be coming together and take hands to address these issues, resulting in saving the building.

The other option, which is rather unthinkable, especially for those who understand and appreciate the architectural, social, and historic value that buildings bring to the community, is to let it deteriorate and become a ruin. Of which the Railway Station, the Cederberg Hotel, the Old Grain Silo, and the Nurses college hostel are prime examples, to name a few.