Historical Monuments Commission
| Abbreviation | HMC |
|---|---|
| Established | 1923 |
| Dissolved | 1969 |
| Legal status | Defunct |
|
Region served
|
South Africa |
The Historical Monuments Commission (HMC) was the national heritage conservation authority of South Africa from 1923 to 1969. The HMC was the first such body to be established in South Africa and was the predecessor of the National Monuments Council and therefore also of SAHRA and South Africa's provincial heritage resources authorities. From 1934 onwards the Commission became known principally for its declaration of several hundred historical monuments, later known as 'national monuments' and today as provincial heritage sites.
Known officially as 'The Commission for the Preservation of Natural and Historical Monuments of the Union', the HMC was established thirteen years after the coming into being of the Union of South Africa in 1910. It was the first government agency to be specifically tasked with conservation of the country's heritage. Prior to its creation the only such protections had been limited powers afford the Minister of the Interior to control archaeology and rock art via the Bushman Relics Protection Act of 1911.
Under the 1923 Act the Commission was appointed by the Governor General and consisted of seven or more unpaid members. It had powers to identify 'monuments of the Union', but could not protect them other than by negotiating an agreement between the owner and a government agency. With an owner's agreement it could also control access to monuments and charge an entrance fee.
In 1934 the Natural and Historical Monuments Act of 1923 was replaced by the Natural and Historical Monuments, Relics and Antiques Act and the Bushman Relics Protection Act was also withdrawn. The new act retained the Commission with the same membership provisions as previously and now fell under the responsibility of the Minister of the Interior.
The major difference between this act and its predecessor was that the HMC could now:
The latter measures represent the first attempt in South Africa to institute what the country's present heritage legislation terms 'formal protection' and the creation of real powers for the commission to protect heritage in that its consent was required to make any changes to heritage proclaimed in this way. The new Act also for the first time gave to the Minister powers to prevent export of cultural material and these measures are at the origin of similar provisions in the present day National Heritage Resources Act.
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