Heritage Western Cape is a provincial heritage resources authority established by the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport of the government of the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is a public entity set up under the terms of the National Heritage Resources Act. It is mandated to care for that part of South Africa's national estate that is of provincial and local significance in the Western Cape. It may delegate responsibility for heritage resources of local significance to competent municipal governments.Heritage Western Cape is best known as the custodian of approximately 2,500 provincial heritage sites, but is also responsible for administration of other forms of protection of heritage established under the terms of the National Heritage Resources Act.HistoryHeritage Western Cape is the successor body to the former National Monuments Council in the Western Cape. Under the 1996 Constitution of South Africa, cultural matters are a competency shared between national and provincial government. This necessitated the creation of a system whereby many of the responsibilities of the former National Monuments Council were devolved to provincial level via the National Heritage Resources Act.Whilst provinces may pass their own heritage conservation legislation, the Government of the Western Cape chose to use provisions of the National Heritage Resources Act which allow it to establish a provincial heritage resources authority (PHRA). Heritage Western Cape was hence established by regulation on 25 October 2002. In 2003 a Council was appointed by the province’s Minister for Cultural Affairs and Sport and has since met on a quarterly basis.
