SUB-COMMITTEE CULTURE and HERITAGE

"Heritage is a gift from the past to the future, a source of inspiration for everyone"
(Unesco World Heritage Centre)

LEGISLATION

The major focus of this Sub-committee is to play an important part in the transformation of the national cultural institutions and other heritage bodies through the passing of legislation which has been fully and thoroughly discussed and debated at all levels.

• During the 1996 parliamentary session the National Archives of South Africa Act was passed.
• The Legal Deposit Bill was passed on September the 16^th 1997.
• There are two pieces of legislation presently in draft form, namely the National Libraries Amendment Bill and the National Heritage Bill. Further information on both these is available either from the department of Art, Culture, Science and Technology or from the Convenor of the Sub-committee. Comments from interested parties would be most welcome.

In addition to the above, there are two other areas which are the cause of great concern to the Sub-committee, namely:-

• The illicit trafficking in cultural property which includes both the illegal and/or improper export of works of art and objects of cultural significance in South Africa and illegal import into South Africa of works of objects of cultural significance from other countries.
• The funding crisis in our cultural institutions and the possibility of helping to address this through the introduction of tax concessions for donations for heritage or conservation purposes.

Once again, the Sub-committee would welcome any comments or suggestions in regard to these matters, particularly in so far as international experience is concerned.

Convenor: Mrs. Valerie Viljoen

Tel: (021) 403-3184; Fax: (021) 403-2073; E-mail: valeriev@iafrica.com.

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Last Updated October 6, 1997 by Leanne Luger from the CSIR