The Heritage Foundation, housed in the Heritage Centre on Monument Hill, Pretoria, owns and manages several heritage resources including heritage sites, cemeteries and archival collections. In addition, the Foundation also operates and maintains a research library, archive, bookshop and exhibition space located in the Heritage Centre. The library is open to bona fide researchers and contains amongst others, rare Africana collections and genealogical publications. The archives function as a repository for various personal and cultural organisations’ records, which include documents, drawings, maps, photographs and audio-visual materials. The Afrikaanse Winkel bookshop specialises in popular historical and children’s literature.

The Heritage Foundation operational programme ensures that the public services offered by the Foundation as well as the conservation and management of the heritage resources in our care can be maintained.

Immovable heritage may include inter alia historical structures, monuments, heritage sites, cemeteries, graves and cultural landscapes. The objectives of this programme are to –

• Provide strategic guidance to the public, communities and other stakeholders with regard to conservation, long-term sustainable use and management of immovable heritage resources

• Identify and source appropriate resources, including technical expertise, for the conservation and management of immovable heritage resources

• Establish new and expand on existing collaborative networks that focus on immovable heritage resources

Movable heritage includes inter alia works of art and literature, historical documents, photographs and objects, whilst intangible resources can include oral histories, music, indigenous knowledge systems, customs, and traditions. The objectives of this programme are to –

• Provide strategic guidance to the public, communities and other parties regarding conservation, long-term sustainable use and management of movable and intangible heritage resources

• Document and record intangible heritage

• Identify and source appropriate resources, including technical expertise, for the conservation and management of movable and intangible heritage resources

Heritage does not only have intrinsic value, but also the potential to contribute to long-term sustainable economic development. However, the inherent and potential value of heritage resources is not generally appreciated and public awareness must be created to foster positive and passionate attitudes towards heritage. The objectives of this programme are to –

• Develop and drive campaigns to create general awareness of the importance and intrinsic value of heritage resources, which emphasise heritage resources’ educational, research and tourism values

• Develop educational projects that will empower members of the public, communities and other groups to conserve, manage and sustainably use heritage resources in their areas

• Establish and manage community networks in collaboration and liaison with heritage organisations

• Identify and source appropriate resources to assist the public and communities in promoting, utilising and conserving heritage in their areas to the benefit of the community

This programme focusses on heritage research such as developing histories of people, groups, buildings, events, etc. The objectives of this programme are to –

• Develop strategic research-based reports to support the objectives of the other programmes

• Undertake heritage research projects on behalf of individuals, communities, institutions and organisations

• Create platforms where heritage research can be disseminated to the public