Fragmented Approach to Governance? Critical Review of the Role Played by Various Government Departments and Agencies in the Administration of Heritage Matters in South Africa

Rock art Conservation and Tourism in Iringa Region, Tanzania

“…Indeed, it is perhaps this interplay of the extremely local and the global that brings the greatest challenges, but also, conversely, also brings out the best in sub-Saharan practice, as regional practitioners respond and adapt, thus creating innovative solutions to site management and conservation (Ceri et al, 2011). In a similar vein, Chirikure (2013) and Ndlovu (2017), note that one of the greatest ironies about African heritage is that, despite being priceless, it often ranks very low in terms of government priority scales, this situation is also endemic in Tanzania whereby each new incumbent government has been placing the Antiquities Department in various ministries, from the Ministry of Sports and Culture, to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, and sometimes in the Ministry of Education. These unpredictable changes about who and which one is the responsible custodian-cum-organ of the country's patrimonies show that the Government does not warrant due weight to her patrimonies.…”

“…Another important issue is how to manage the balance between site protection and developmental projects in Africa; thus Ndlovu (2017) hints that as a result of various economic development factors such as mining, manufacturing and retail industries which are springing around many countries in Africa, they have led to tensions between the growth and socioeconomic development on the one hand, and the environment on the other hand. Any opposition, on environmental or heritage grounds against proposed development is thus seen as a threat to the creation of employment for destitute communities (Ndlovu, 2017). 1964;Museum Act, 1980) to more collaborative approaches where communities are regarded as partners and not as enemies of conservation.…”