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Revised Schedule of Fees for Applications made to the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA)

Rescue of accidentally discovered human remains on RE of PTN 10 of the farm Newgate 802 MS

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CaseHeader

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HeritageAuthority(s): 

Case Type: 

Development Type: 

ProposalDescription: 

Skeletal remains were accidentally discovered on 20th July 2020 during construction of an extension of the Avoca Vale Country Lodge. The lodge is located at coordinates -22.980222° 29.934611° on the Remainder of Portion 10 of the farm Newgate 802 MS. The entire trench had been excavated when a worker who had been leveling out the bottom of the trench discovered the remains on the 20th July 2020. Work was immediately ceased in the trench and the SAPS were informed. Two officers inspected the remains on the 20th July, but neglected to take further action and also apparently did not submit a report nor open a case of the incident. I inspected the site on 23 July 2020 and observed no other bone material other than the skull. The management of the lodge decided to abandon the trench and no further activities took place, and with my agreement the immediate area of the find place was marked and the rest of the trench was back-filled for safety precautions. No evidence of a grave was noted before construction. There is no evidence of a cultural deposit to link it with any indigenous population and the trench excavation has obliterated any sign of a burial pit. The Hotel was originally called the New Gate Guest Farm and then the Punch Bowl Hotel. In 2001/2, the hotel was sold and became known as the Inn on Louis Trichardt. In 2011 it was restored and named Avoca Vale. On Friday 25th September the Police again undertook a site investigation lead by detective Capt. Ndammbi and two other uniform officers from the Makhado Police Station . The skull was then removed for a forensic assessment by the SAPS.

Expanded_Motivation: 

A permit application was initially submitted on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 in terms of Section 36 of the NHRA. Studying the 1:50000 2229 DD topographical map, it is clear that the area around the Avoca Vale Country Lodge or former Punch Bowl Hotel had already been developed into an orchard by the mid 1900’s. Further additions to the Lodge, planting of the garden, building a swimming pool, etcetera, over the years would have transformed the premises even further with the result that all contextual evidence of any archaeological site would have been obliterated. A survey of the premises produced no archaeological or historical cultural material. One should note that such fields are normally prepared by the deep ripping of the soil with specially designed farm implements. A ripper is used instead of a traditional plough, which penetrates the soil much deeper; up to more than one meter in depth. This is most probably the reason why only the skull was located within the trench and the rest of the bones crushed and scattered over a wider area. As far as could be established no-one has over the past 60 years or during living memory called on the hotel/lodge owner/s to claim a grave on the premises. After a re-assessment of the evidence as revised above, it is now clear that the application should be submitted under Section 35 of the National Heritage Resources Act (25 of 1999). No successful land claim has been lodged on the farm Newgate 802 MS nor is there currently a claim against the farm.

ApplicationDate: 

Thursday, October 29, 2020 - 15:49

CaseID: 

15694

OtherReferences: 

Heritage Reports: 

Amended HIA report: RE of Ptn 10 of the farm Newgate 802 MS
Report SAHRA Re CaseID 15694 - PermitID 3171

ReferenceList: 
 
 

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