How old should something be to qualify as heritage? For the Krugersdorp Heritage Association (KHA), the answer is simple: Age matters less than meaning. Through its Blue Plaque Project (BPP), the association is preserving and celebrating the stories that have shaped the town.

Recognising Krugersdorp’s past

KHA co-founder Jaco Mattheyse explained that despite Krugersdorp’s relatively young age of 138 years, the town holds a wealth of heritage worth protecting.

“The BPP is a powerful tool for recognising and preserving what survives,” he said.

The KHA is committed to rolling out a vibrant blue plaque programme to mark notable achievements, both historical and recent, and to celebrate the town’s people, places, and architecture.

The association unveiled its first plaque on Heritage Day this year at St Peter’s Church in the Krugersdorp CBD.

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“In the coming year, the association plans to install at least five blue plaques across Krugersdorp. The concept has been embraced with pride and passion: a blue plaque is easily understood and widely appreciated – it means to save this history,” said Jaco.

“Each plaque acts as a prompt to pause, reflect, and appreciate the site’s significance. It reminds us of those who came before and what they achieved. In fewer than 100 words, a distinctive china-blue, silkscreened metal disc conveys a site’s historical importance. Some plaques include QR codes for deeper online exploration,” he added.

The standard blue plaque is circular, 420mm across, and made of durable metal, with silkscreen lettering protected by UV varnish.

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The blue plaque story in South Africa

There are numerous blue plaque initiatives across South Africa, from Pretoria to Cape Town. According to Jaco, heritage stalwart Herbert Prins – recipient of a Wits University Gold Medal – introduced the blue plaque concept to the country about 40 years ago.

“At the time, he chaired the Witwatersrand branch of the Simon van der Stel Foundation [now the Heritage Association of South Africa, or HASA]. Inspired by English Heritage’s London plaques, Prins adapted the idea for the South African context,” Jaco explained.

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Historically, the National Monuments Council (NMC) was the state body responsible for heritage sites. Its bronze badge – featuring the Cape Town Castle – marked official monuments such as the Krugersdorp Town Hall. However, these badges offered little context, leaving visitors uninformed. The blue plaque provided an opportunity to add readable, accessible history directly to buildings, enriching public understanding and tourism.

The initiative soon spread across the country, gaining momentum in many towns and cities.

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A vision for Krugersdorp

Following the project’s launch, Jaco said the plaques also present a unique tourism opportunity.

“Imagine guided tours through Krugersdorp North or the CBD, tracing the city’s past through a constellation of blue markers,” he said.

Although blue plaques carry no legal authority, their symbolism is powerful. They signal that, in the KHA’s view, a site is worthy of remembrance and celebration, while also serving as a subtle warning to developers and property owners that a building is historically significant and should not be neglected or demolished.

Crucially, plaques are installed only with the consent of property owners. The KHA works to engage owners, highlight the value of their properties, and encourage responsible stewardship. Some owners see blue plaques as a point of pride – and even a way to enhance property value.

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Selecting sites involves motivation, approval, and fundraising, often from private donors or the association’s modest budget. The KHA aims to ensure that heritage in less affluent areas also receives recognition. Ideally, a mapped blue plaque route could tell Krugersdorp’s story across its landscape.

Once installed, each plaque is documented in a central register maintained by the KHA, with duplicates recorded by the Johannesburg Historical Foundation and linked to the online Heritage Register curated by James Ball. Each listing includes photographs, installation dates, and historical summaries.