ROBBEN ISLAND MUSEUM 21 August 2018 - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

ROBBEN ISLAND

MUSEUM21 August 2018

1

2

PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on:

RIM structure

State of readiness of the Pilot Restoration Project (BSQW) and the

Memorialisation Plan.

RIM ORGANISATIONAL REVIEW AND STRUCTURE

3

RIM ORGANISATIONAL REVIEW AND STRUCTURE UPDATE

The scientific review has identified a need for more appropriately qualified personnel and the fact that other staff are not fully occupied and their jobs would need to be re-evaluated.

The aim is to complete the process without any retrenchments.

Critical vacant posts have been identified and a phased implementation process will unfold.

Consultation with the union has started and implementation is underway in the areas where there is agreement.

4

RIM ORGANISATIONAL REVIEW AND STRUCTURE UPDATE

1. PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on the state of governance at Robben Island Museum and other pertinent matters.

5

RESTORATION

OF THE BLUESTONE QUARRY WALL

1. PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on the state of governance at Robben Island Museum and other pertinent matters.

6

INTRODUCTION

The Bluestone quarry embankment

wall was built by political prisoners at Robben Island in the period from 1964 to 1977 to prevent the ingression of seawater into the

working area driven by waves at hide tide.

What is significant about this wall is that the engineering design was left to the means of the prisoners. If the prison authorities had serious intentions to proof the area, they would have put in resources for the construction of a much stronger barrier, even a concrete embankment.

The

idea was not to afford the prisoners such a luxury.

This

is the reason why the wall is significant, as a form of punishment, probably the only structure which the prisoners had to build with their own improvised design

.

IMPORTANCE

OF THE BLUESTONE QUARRY WALLIts unique value in the Robben Island storyline /narrative

The restoration can be used as a learning programme for staff, interns and interested university students. Robben Island should provide such opportunities for intergenerational sharing of experiences and skills – the EPPs supervising and telling the young cadets how they built the wall.

7

APPROACH

AND METHODOLOGY

In order to

reduce the risk of making mistakes and in order not perform a “live” experiment on what remains of this wall (which is quite a sensitive structure), it is advisable to build an experimental wall which can be evaluated by both local and international experts. This is the way to build confidence and a firm foundation for informed intervention on the actual wall.

8

PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

9

Item

Actions

Responsibility

Timelines

 Progress

1

Preliminary discussion

Discuss concept

RIM Managers, Dr Matenga.

Aug

2018

Done

:

2

Inaugural Plenary workshop

Introduce concept to ex-political prisoners (EPPs)

Preliminary identification of artisans (stonemasons) in SA and in the region

Identify potential interns and

univ.

students who might be interested in participation

RIM Managers, Board, EPP,

SAHRA (if necessary), EM

1 day (Week 2

Sep)

(3 days with travelling time)

24hrs

Procurement to take place in Week 1 of

September.

3

Assessment of material needs

Check availability on the island or elsewhere of suitable materials

Choose site of experimental wall

EPP, RIM Managers, Board, EM. Involve at least 2 Stonemasons

7 days (Week 2/3

Sep) 56hrs

5

. PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Conti….10

Item

Actions

Responsibility

Timelines

4

Budget estimate

Timeframes

Submit detailed budget proposal (materials and transportation, EPPs, Students, Masons, & Consultation

RIM Managers, EM

7 days (Week 4

Sep)

56hrs

5

Shipment of materials to site (Test/ Exp project)

Assessment of requirements (volume) and means of shipment

RIM Managers, EM

To be decided after Part 3 (assessment of material requirements) (Week 1 and 2

Oct)

24hrs for the Expert

6

Set Camp (Test/ Exp project)

Accommodation and subsistence of team

(Decide if team has to complete exp wall without a break). Travel and other logistics

RIM Managers, EM

3 days for logistical planning ahead of team (week 3 and 4

Oct)

40hrs

5

. PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Conti….11

Item

Actions

Responsibility

Timelines

 Comments/Notes

7

Construction (Test/ Exp project)

Construction of

exp.

wall

RIM Managers, EM

4 weeks working Monday to Friday (8 hour day) (Oct/ Nov)

Procurement process to provide for masons and EPPs with budget provisions. (

Reliant on deviation from normal procurement due to the unique nature of the service required)

.

Budget to also provide for materials and logistics

8

Evaluation

One day Workshop

RIM Staff, Board, SAHRA, NHC, Univ, ICCROM, UNESCO, EM

1 day (to take place over Nov) 24hrs

The time to provide for assessment workshop and report. Dr Matenga to facilitate

9

Restoration of the BSQ wall

Approval

of experimental wall and execution.

Stone Masons (number to be decided) Interns,

RIM Managers, Board, EM

90 days minimum

(3 months working Monday to Friday – 8 hour day) (to take place from Jan to Mar)

As in item 6 above a condonement process to deviate from normal procurement due to the unique nature of the service required.

1. PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on the state of governance at Robben Island Museum and other pertinent matters.

12

ROBBEN

ISLAND MEMORIALISATION PROJECT

1. PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on the state of governance at Robben Island Museum and other pertinent matters.

13

The Memorialization Project commenced in November 2016. It was initiated with

Resources

raised by Makana Trust. The objective of the project was to preserve the

Social

memory of the Ex Political prisoners through a series of exhibitions and

an

effective visitor experience. The memorialization project has now been integrated

into the

RIM Strategic plan.

INTRODUCTION

1. PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on the state of governance at Robben Island Museum and other pertinent matters.

14

TRANSFORMATION

OF THE NMG TO TELL A BALANCED HISTORY

GOAL

: To transform NMG into a multi-media orientation space that will tell the story of the

Island.

New

exhibitions are being installed about the history of the Island from pre-historic times to

the

Present

.

1. PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on the state of governance at Robben Island Museum and other pertinent matters.

15

RETURN THE PRISON TO ITS BLEAK AUSTERITY (be sensitive to the ‘authentic’ heritage)

GOAL:

Allow the Island and the prison building to tell the story of the space as it is remembered by

Ex-political

prisoners. Restore and repair all spaces.

1. PURPOSE

To brief the Portfolio Committee on the state of governance at Robben Island Museum and other pertinent matters.

16

CREATE A NEW VISITOR EXPERIENCE

GOAL:

Develop and deliver an exhibition master-plan that will give visitors a deeper sense of Robben Island. Phase one

of

the exhibition master-plan includes, Jetty One, Murray’s

Harbour,

Visitor Centre, Die

Ou

Tronk

,

Maximum Security Prison, The Leper Grave yard.

END

17