[MSN] Over 14,000 objects, artefacts and art works have been stolen from South Africa’s museums, galleries and heritage institutions in the last four years, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday.

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

“Thousands of heritage objects stolen”


PARLIAMENT – Over 14,000 objects, artefacts and art works have been stolen
from South Africa’s museums, galleries and heritage institutions in the last
four years, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday.
“Our heritage... seems to be evaporating at a quite astounding rate,” DA MP
Dianne Kohler-Barnard told MPs in the National Assembly.
Speaking during debate on the arts and culture budget vote, she said the
management of the department -- which is ultimately responsible for
safeguarding South Africa’s cultural treasures -- was in a shambles.
The last Auditor-General’s report had found “a whole new batch of problems
generated in the absence of any tangible leadership: assets misplaced, not
recorded, incorrectly recorded or just plain missing”, she said.
“Well over 14,000 heritage objects have been pilfered from our museums,
galleries, castles and even our churches Šover the past four yearsÆ.
“What bright spark decided that Pierneef’s ‘Near Golden Gate' ŠpaintingÆ
should hang unattended at the SABC in Johannesburg, despite being valued at
R5 million? It’s gone, along with 17th century ceramics from Cape Town, two
masterpieces from the University of the Eastern Cape, a Moses Seleko
sculpture from Pretoria... the list goes on and on.”
Kohler-Barnard asked Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan why he kept on
repeating the same mistakes.
“Minister, why aren’t you doing your job? Why is it... that you keep on and
on repeating the same mistakes, hiring utterly incompetent staff?
“Do the people you hire not understand that leave has to be applied and
accounted for, that there have to be funds to pay for post-retirement
medical aid benefits, that fraud protection plans have to be instituted for
a reason?
“Minister, do they even know what a measurable objective is? The
Auditor-General doesn’t seem to think so.”
Art theft had been pinpointed as one of the top three global crimes,
Kohler-Barnard said.
Speaking at the end of the debate, Jordan rebuked Kohler-Barnard for
speaking “as if she is the champion of the arts community”.
He made no reference to the disappearance of art works from institutions,
and said the DA had a “schizophrenic attitude” towards his department. –Sapa


http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=40869,1,22

____________________________________
Museum Security Network
Museum Security Consultancy
Ton Cremers
Postbus 3213
3003 AE Rotterdam
+31 10 2233897
+31 6 242 246 20
toncremers at museum-security.org
_______________________________________