Since 1994, South Africa has embraced an inclusive and democratic definition of heritage, yet the protection of the built environment remains uneven. While legislation provides a progressive framework, its implementation is fragile: enforcement is weak, penalties are negligible, and development pressures frequently prevail over preservation.
BOOK REVIEWS
Michael Stevenson’s Samuel Daniell: A Life of an Artist in Southern Africa and Ceylon, 1799–1811 stands as a work of rare distinction: sumptuous in production, meticulous in scholarship, and deeply rewarding in intellectual substance.
BLUE PLAQUES
On 11 July 1900 a British column under General Horace Smith-Dorrien left Krugersdorp to assist the beleaguered town of Rustenburg. On this spot they were ambushed by the Krugersdorp Commando led by General Sarel Oosthuizen. Two guns of the Royal Field Artillery advanced to within rifle range of the Boers who held the surrounding ridge. Within minutes most British gunners and their horses were killed or wounded.