The CoJ deputy director of media relations, Nthatisi Modingoane, said the matter of the World War I Memorial in Bez Valley is receiving attention from the City of Joburg.
Modingoane said this after several articles about residents’ concerns about the vandalism of the memorial were published by the EXPRESS.
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“We are currently seeking permission to move the memorial.
“A team of architects is exploring options on what can be done with the memorial, taking into account the vandalism, the current state of the park, security issues, its historic importance to the area as well as heritage and conservation best practice,” explained Modingoane.
He said they will consider a number of factors before the final decision is made.
“The team is looking at whether to keep the memorial in its current location and looking at various options for securing the site.
“Before moving the memorial to an alternative site we need to take into account the importance of its location within the Bezuidenhout Valley area and what happens to the site should the memorial be removed – remain as is, new ‘memorial’, landscaping or urban intervention,” said Modingoane.
He said a possible alternative site has been identified in Bezuidenhout Park, close to the historic Bezuidenhout Farmstead.
“The proposals will be put forward to members of the heritage community and local stakeholders. Moving the memorial will need approval from the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority,” said Modingoane.
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