In 2015 the JIPC launched the Heritage Register, in partnership with the City of Johannesburg, the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, the CID Forum, the Heritage Portal and the Egoli Heritage Foundation.
The Heritage Register is a powerful tool designed to assist property owners, developers, estate agents and other stakeholders find out the heritage status of a property. Knowing a property’s heritage status is important as owners may need to follow processes set out in the National Heritage Resources Act. The Heritage Register alerts stakeholders to these processes and provides a list of professionals to assist when needed.
From the website www.heritageregister.org.za/
Know Your Heritage Status
“Are you looking at extending your property? Perhaps making a few small alterations? Maybe even hoping to demolish various structures? Make sure you know the heritage status of your property up front as you may need to apply for a permit from the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority Gauteng.” James Ball, The Heritage Portal
The JICP would like to see residents’ associations and city improvement districts commission heritage status reports in their neighbourhoods, as an incentive for investment, and to protect heritage.
The necessity for a Heritage Register is due to the fact that over the years, many owners and investors have felt financial pain and opened themselves up to reputational risk because they did not know the heritage status of a property. Providing owners and investors with this information up front improves decision making, reduces risk and creates an enabling environment for investment. This is essential to accelerate economic growth and create jobs.
The information provided by The Heritage Register creates a foundation for improved compliance. Countless demolitions, alterations and additions across the country are carried out illegally due to a combination of ignorance and lack of enforcement. Not only will improved compliance provide better protection of the historical fabric of our towns and cities but it will stimulate job creation by expanding the demand for heritage practitioners, contractors and craftspeople.
About the Heritage Portal
The Heritage Portal is a discussion, education and marketing platform serving the South African Heritage Sector. It aims to assist a spectrum of stakeholders to negotiate the tensions between preservation and development and help integrate heritage into the planning process. It aspires to ease the burden on heritage officials and to drive an owner education agenda.