Heritage Cases

The TRUP includes two significant Rivers (Liesbeek & Black) that are historical rivers associated with the early Heritage of the Cape that sustained life since earliest times, since they flow throughout the year. The confluence of the rivers is a sacred ancestral First Nations Site and the rest of the Cultural Landscape in the TRUP also has immense heritage significance in that it tracks thousands of years of precolonial history, sustaining human habitation at the gateway to the Cape Peninsula. The TRUP is the site of the only early practical crossing point, between and above the wetlands where the river banks are fairly flat, from Oude Molen in east to Varsche Drift in the west (at north of Malta Farm). This was a noted large settlement attacked by the Portuguese general d’Almeida in March 1510 when the Khoena defeated their attack. It was the site of the first Dutch colonial land capture in 1657 of ancestral common lands on the banks of the Liesbeek River, that included Mostert’s land grab on east of Liesbeek which is the River Club Site under threat today. The first war between settlers and indigenous Khoena was in 1659 and gave way to a series of such wars. As such, the site is referred to as the First Frontier. For that reason, the site is slated to be included in the National Liberation Route, a series of sites that express the key aspects of the South African liberation experience, based on historical evidence of events and activities associated with the history of the struggle. Indeed, the frontier wars l ed to expulsion and near destruction of the Khoena People, who existed as a well-established successful sustainable nation prior to colonial intrusion. The Khoena are still needing restorative recognition and healing by recognizing their heritage and sacred bond with this heritage site. There has been extensive research by a number of heritage practitioners over the last 10 years who all agree that there is highly significant heritage associated with the site. Most recently, the Draft Heritage Impact Assessment for the Two Rivers Local Spatial Development Framework noted that “ … in many respects, the intangible heritage factors could be regarded as being of at least Grade II significance, probably of the highest order.” This assessment is consistent with heritage indicators emerging from the Attwell baseline report. The various reports have since convinced Heritage Specialists IACom and HWC Council that TRUP is needs to be Protected as either Provincial Heritage Grade or higher. We are therefore applying for urgent grading of the TRUP, as phase 1.