Q&A with the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC). Questions (in bold) from Sue Maclennan/TOTT; Answers from DSRAC via spokesperson Andile Nduna. These questions were prompted by a call from a settler descendant for artefacts from the 1820 immigrants in Eastern Cape museums to be retrieved from museums in the province. Read the article HERE
Administrative matters
TOTT: Under whose authority are Eastern Cape public museums managed?
DSRAC: The Department of Sport Recreation, Arts and Culture administers 20 province-aided museums in the province, and others are privately-owned while some are managed by municipalities. Boards of Trustees of province-aided museums that are appointed by the MEC for DSRAC play an oversight role and deal with their governance issues.
To whom do artefacts belong if they were donated to a provincial museum?
Ownership of the heritage assets (artefacts, specimens,documents etc) resides with Board of Trustees unless otherwise stated in the donation agreement. Thus, when artefacts are donated to a provincial museum the ownership thereof typically transfers to the museum, provided that the donation is made with the intention of permanent transfer and without any condition of return.
What is the procedure for members of families who lent or donated artefacts to museums to a) see those artefacts and/ or b) retrieve them from museums?
Guided by the Museum Policies, family members are advised to contact the museum manager who would organise with the collections manager or scientist to view the artefacts.
If items have been donated they cannot be retrieved as they now belong to the state (through the museum). If they have been loaned, this needs to be organised with management and Board of the museum.
Furthermore, family members may request to see the artefacts by contacting the museum’s collections or curatorial department. The family member making the request will need to provide proof of their relationship to the donor or lender. This could include family records, legal documentation, or other proof linking them to the individual who lent or donated.
In cases where the artefact is particularly fragile or rare, or if it is part of a travelling exhibit, the museum may restrict direct access to ensure its safety. The museum might provide photographs or detailed descriptions instead of physical access.
Is there a digital inventory of items donated or lent to the museums?
- Many museums maintain digital inventories or databases of items that have been donated or lent to their collections. These inventories are increasingly becoming a standard practice in the museum world to help manage, track, and make accessible their collections.
- Museum Collection Policy allows for such but it is advisable not to have public accessing the inventory of museum for security purposes. The public can only have access to collections in the Museum on request in writing to the relevant Curator or Collections manager for consideration.
In a nutshell yes, museums maintain registers of acquisitions and these records may be on cards, accession registers, catalogue books, digital data bases etc. This forms parts of professional collections management, advocated for by South African Museums Association, (SAMA), and International Council of Museums to which EC Provincial museums subscribe.
Where would a person find this?
A person would find this in all province-aided museums.
What stock-taking practices are in place at Eastern Cape museums
- Inventory management at museums is a crucial practice to ensure proper care, security, and management of collections. We maintain a detailed and accurate record of our collections, which helps with conservation efforts by cataloguing objects in our collection by detailing all information related to the artefact.
We also conduct physical inventory checks quarterly in a form of verifying each item in the collection. We also track the movement of objects either for display or loan using movement forms populated.
Security concerns:
What is the status of the case of the 2021 thefts from Observatory Museum in Makhanda?
The 2021 case is ongoing… Last month, a Museum official received a court subpoena to testify in the case.
How many other theft cases are there – current or concluded – related to Eastern Cape museums; when were these cases reported; what is the status of each of those cases.
Bay World (in Gqeberha), had five theft cases at the institution, cases were reported and opened on the 28th October 2022. The breaking and theft incidents were reported, and cases were opened at SAPS Humewood.
Theft cases are all closed, as the police state that there is either no lead or not enough evidence (Upon opening the cases we get a case number and wait for the police to give feedback and we make follow-ups until such time that we receive smses stating that the case has been closed).
East London Museum, had a theft of medals in 2013, while meteorites and Chinese ceramics were stolen in 2014. These cases were reported to the SAPS, Interpol and SAMA National. No items have been retrieved by law enforcement agencies.
The Graaff-Reinet Museum takes the security of its collection very seriously. However, like many museums worldwide, it has faced incidents of theft in the past. At present, three SAPS cases remain open regarding stolen artefacts:
- 2006: Rhino horns were stolen from the museum’s collection.
- 2010: A set of war medals was taken.
- Additionally, two fossils were stolen from the museum’s fossil collection.
Following these incidents, security measures have been significantly strengthened to prevent future occurrences. Display cases have been reinforced, and the museum has invested in advanced security technology,
Amathole Museum, (in Qonce), has fallen victim to rhino horn theft and cutural heritage objects vandalism/theft, and has registeed cases with SAPS and the Green Scorpions. No progess yet on the cases
What is the total value of the items stolen from the Observatory Museum?
Approximate replacement total value of the stolen items from Observatory Museum is R338 900, but some items were invaluable due to the intangible heritage and history attached to them.
What is the total value of the items stolen from other museums?
The total value for Bayworld is R18 483, however Museum artefacts are invaluable and cannot be assigned a monetary value, as their historical, cultural, and scientific significance is irreplaceable, heritage objects cannot simply be replaced if lost or stolen. While theft from a museum represents a significant loss, the true impact lies not in financial terms but in the loss of shared history, knowledge, and cultural identity.
Who determines the philosophical basis for curator decisions
Philosophical including ethical decisions of the museums are tabled and discussed by curatorial committees and where necessary recommendations are made to Board of Trustees for approval. Professional bodies for specific study disciplines to which curators subscribe also provide a guiding compass on such decisions.
Please summarise DSRAC’s mission when it comes to museums and heritage in the Eastern Cape.
DSRAC’s mission is for museums and heritage facilities in the Eastern Cape to protect, preserve and promote the province’s rich and diverse cultural and naturel heritage resources to enhance nation-building, social cohesion and local economic development.
- This Q&A was first pubished in Talk of the Town on February 13, 2025. Read the full feature HERE
