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
In 1904 Wernher Beit and Co presented Johannesburg with 81 ha for a public park to be known as Hermann Eckstein Park. The gift included one leopard, one lion, one cheetah, one hawk, two giraffe and four sable antelope collected by Sir Percy Fitzpatric and two lions were presented at a later date by Lord Milner. The Johannesburg City Council provided money for the cages.