Heritage obscured at the Nelson Mandela Gateway

Posted on August 10, 2010

Did you feel it, it was here. All sections of South African Society are currently taking stock of the impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ either economically, socially or politically. Perhaps it is also important then to reflect on how it impacted heritage sites and institutions. Unfortunately I did not feel it but I certainly tried but every time I tried something got in the way. From the billions that were 'wasted' on sports to Shakira, whether the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ was financially viable, to the meaning of being South African, to issues of service delivery in our country - one is left with more questions than answers. This World Cup managed to get on my nerves on a regular basis.

The Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island is the front entrance to Robben Island Museum World Heritage Site but it resembled 'umngcwabo' (black funeral) in a very rich area. Everywhere you looked all you could see were white tents/marquees that took up a lot of visual space.

Why is it that we were able to allow our heritage to be obscured? My concern lies around if this was done during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, what other decisions can be taken by the Waterfront Management Company in the future that will adversely affect the Robben Island Museum.

As South Africans we are fantastic at hosting, sometimes we host so well that tomorrow we have nothing to eat yet we served steak to our guests that have departed. This tradition of treating our guest better then we would treat ourselves, might explain the all-out craze that surrounded the World Cup.

Shouldn't Robben Island Museum, as an institution be rethinking what happens on its doorstep? A clear case in point was the issue of wheel chair users who had to find a very roundabout way into the building with no signage to indicate how or why the person has to go on this roundabout journey. This raises the question about how curatorial, marketing and infrastructure maintenance decisions impact on universal access to heritage sites and institutions. This is one of the primary concerns of a World Heritage Site.

Location, location, location are words that I have heard mentioned whenever property is mentioned. This is also an indicator of how well businesses are doing. The Nelson Mandela Gateway at the Clock Tower seems to be in an ideal location to benefit from the tourist trade and traffic at the Waterfront. Unlike other institutions, the Museum does not have a choice as to where its embarkation point will be. Its location in the middle of the ocean determines what it is able to do and unfortunately ferries have to leave from the Waterfront.

The front entrance of a National Museum, World Heritage Site, an icon of democracy, the first declared cultural democratic institution looked like a 'spaza shop', as a result of the branding and space infringement of a private commercial company. The marquee and the branding display of Rooti's, dominated the visual and heritage space of the Gateway, taking precedence over the more important heritage displays. What signals were we giving our visitors when heritage is crowded out by commercial entities and the Museums' purpose at the Waterfront is obscured? The question that then arises is what should front of a national museum and world heritage site look like? This contested space is where heritage professionals and the broader public should be engaged in as it should reflect the heritage objectives of not only the state but the people its serves.

Being part of the Waterfront has its advantages and its disadvantages and I am sure that the Museum has been able to utilize the benefits to its own advantage. However the current situation at the Waterfront is untenable, the institution is completely obscured by commercial entities as the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup has so blatantly revealed. It is clear to me that we need to begin a rigorous debate about how commercial entities interface with heritage sites and institutions.

Sandra Daniels is the National Youth Camps Officer at the Robben Island Museum and is currently completing a Post-Graduate Diploma in Museum and Heritage Studies at UWC/RIM. She writes in her personal capacity.