Permit - 370009

The following application pertains to the proposed Maintenance Management Plan for the Robben Island Museum and associated maintenance works, Western Cape. located on Robben Island, farm nr. 1436, within the jurisdiction of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Western Cape Province in accordance with Section 27(18) of the National Heritage Resources Act, No. 25 of 1999. Robben Island has a long history in South Africa as a place of banishment, isolation and imprisonment. The island has history from the precolonial era, the earliest travellers to South Africa, the Dutch occupation period, the British occupation period, the military period, apartheid period and currently as a museum, National Heritage Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Overview of Content

The historical context of these structures views during World War Two, Robben Island was integrated into the defensive fortifications established by the South African Army, with infrastructure including gun batteries, machine gun outposts, pill boxes, bunkers, watch towers, and radar stations. After the war, most of the military infrastructure became unused, with watch towers becoming part of the prison infrastructure and supporting buildings being incorporated into the Island's ongoing functions. 

The statement of cultural significance indicates that the military structures on the Island, such as bunkers, gun emplacements, and watch towers, have a distinctive architectural character that is unique to the Island and well integrated into the landscape, enhancing their aesthetic and contextual significance. These buildings are historically significant due to their connection to South Africa's involvement in World War Two, representing a specific time in the Island's history that shaped its infrastructure, while the military technology they embody adds to their significance, though they have no known spiritual or linguistic significance. The proposed activities aligns with the statutory provisions intended to protect and conserve South Africa's national heritage resources. 

The purpose of this application is for the proposed Maintenance Management Plan for the Robben Island Museum and associated maintenance works on the World War Two Structures with the following building reference numbers: B4, B5, B12, B17, B18, B23, B27-56, B137, B138, B148,B150, B151, B198, B242, B265, B270, B273, B413-419, B423-450, B458, B459, B464-470, B471-475, B477, S42. The following supporting documents were reviewed in assessing this application:

• 01 RIM MMP_Heritage Report_Rev.pdf
• 02 Appendix A_RIM Map.pdf
• 03 Appendix B_RIM MMP Condition Assessment Report_ Rev B July 2024.pdf
• 04 Grouping 6_Corrective Maintenance.xlsx
• 05 Appendix B_RIM MMP TERMS OF REFERENCE.pdf
• 06 Appendix C_Public Consultation Report.pdf
• 07 Appendix D_Grouping 6 Photographic Documentation.pdf
• Preventative Maintenance_Group 6.xlsx
• RIM MMP_Broll letter of authority.pdf
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