Statistics Act, 1999
R 385
National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 25 of 1999)Chapter II : Protection and Management of Heritage ResourcesPart 2 : General protections35. Archaeology, paleontology and meteorites |
| (1) | Subject to the provisions of section 8, the protection of archaeological and palaeontological sites and material and meteorites is the responsibility of a provincial heritage resources authority: Provided that the protection of any wreck in the territorial waters and the maritime cultural zone shall be the responsibility of SAHRA. |
| (2) | Subject to the provisions of subsection (8)(a), all archaeological objects, palaeontological material and meteorites are the property of the State. The responsible heritage authority must, on behalf of the State, at its discretion ensure that such objects are lodged with a museum or other public institution that has a collection policy acceptable to the heritage resources authority and may in so doing establish such terms and conditions as it sees fit for the conservation of such objects. |
| (3) | Any person who discovers archaeological or palaeontological objects or material or a meteorite in the course of development or agricultural activity must immediately report the find to the responsible heritage resources authority, or to the nearest local authority offices or museum, which must immediately notify such heritage resources authority. |
| (4) | No person may, without a permit issued by the responsible heritage resources authority— |
| (a) | destroy, damage, excavate, alter, deface or otherwise disturb any archaeological or palaeontological site or any meteorite; |
| (b) | destroy, damage, excavate, remove from its original position, collect or own any archaeological or palaeontological material or object or any meteorite; |
| (c) | trade in, sell for private gain, export or attempt to export from the Republic any category of archaeological or palaeontological material or object, or any meteorite; or |
| (d) | bring onto or use at an archaeological or palaeontological site any excavation equipment or any equipment which assist in the detection or recovery of metals or archaeological and palaeontological material or objects, or use such equipment for the recovery of meteorites. |
| (5) | When the responsible heritage resources authority has reasonable cause to believe that any activity or development which will destroy, damage or alter any archaeological or palaeontological site is under way, and where no application for a permit has been submitted and no heritage resources management procedure in terms of section 38 has been followed, it may— |
| (a) | serve on the owner or occupier of the site or on the person undertaking such development an order for the development to cease immediately for such period as is specified in the order; |
| (b) | carry out an investigation for the purpose of obtaining information on whether or not an archaeological or palaeontological site exists and whether mitigation is necessary; |
| (c) | if mitigation is deemed by the heritage resources authority to be necessary, assist the person on whom the order has been served under paragraph (a) to apply for a permit as required in subsection (4); and |
| (d) | recover the costs of such investigation from the owner or occupier of the land on which it is believed an archaeological or palaeontological site is located or from the person proposing to undertake the development if no application for a permit is received within two weeks of the order being served. |
| (6) | The responsible heritage resources authority may, after consultation with the owner of the land on which an archaeological or palaeontological site or a meteorite is situated, serve a notice on the owner or any other controlling authority, to prevent activities within a specified distance from such site or meteorite. |
| (7) |
| (a) | Within a period of two years from the commencement of this Act, any person in possession of any archaeological or palaeontological material or object or any meteorite which was acquired other than in terms of a permit issued in terms of this Act, equivalent provincial legislation or the National Monuments Act, 1969 (Act No. 28 of 1969), must lodge with the responsible heritage resources authority lists of such objects and other information prescribed by that authority. Any such object which is not listed within the prescribed period shall be deemed to have been recovered after the date on which this Act came into effect. |
| (b) | Paragraph (a) does not apply to any public museum or university. |
| (c) | The responsible authority may at its discretion, by notice in the Gazette or the Provincial Gazette, as the case may be, exempt any institution from the requirements of paragraph (a) subject to such conditions as may be specified in the notice, and may by similar notice withdraw or amend such exemption. |
| (8) | An object or collection listed under subsection (7)— |
| (a) | remains in the ownership of the possessor for the duration of his or her lifetime, and SAHRA must be notified who the successor is; and |
| (b) | must be regularly monitored in accordance with regulations by the responsible heritage authority. |
