State of Conservation

STATE
OF CONSERVATION OF THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT

A cultural resource refers to anything considered to be of historical, archaeological, palaeontological or astronomical interest. In the Greater Johannesburg area there are cultural resources dating back to AD 350 (Mason, 1988, in Walmsley, 1997). The following historical periods are represented here:

Later Stone Age - represented by caves, stone tools and faunal remains;
Iron Age - represented by stone-walled settlements, pottery, smelter sites and middens;
Historical/Modern - represented by cemetries, mining sites, middens, farmsteads, private houses, locomotives, schools, statues, jails and memorials.

There are currently 76 historical buildings in Greater Johannesburg. Most of these are located towards the central and northern parts of the metropolitan area, especially around the Johannesburg CBD and westwards towards Roodepoort, with a few north of Randburg, and one east of Lenasia. All of these sites are protected by law, and are therefore well maintained. Only some of these sites are however in active use, while others are sealed off such as the Rissik Street Post Office (GJMC, 1997a).

Cultural facilities are also mainly found from the south of Roodepoort through to the Johannesburg CBD area.

The Braamfontein Spruit Trust pioneered an urban open space system and trail along the Braamfontein Spruit, which involves the Municipalities of Johannesburg, Randburg and Sandton, as well as a large group of voluntary workers (Enviro Facts, 1999c).

Archaeological sites have been recorded since 1935 in the EMLC and are listed below. The sites have been ranked on a scale of 1-4: where 1 = important, must not be destroyed, proclaimed national monuments; 2 = require mitigation; 3 = sites so ephemeral or insignificant that they do not require mitigation; 4 = those that have already been destroyed (EMLC: LDO, 1997).

NUMBER	SITE NUMBER	SITE NAME	DESCRIPTION	GROUP
				1	2	3	4
H58	2628AA36	Paulshof, Braamfontein Spruit	Historical walls on west bank		*
HI61	2628AA31	Bruma	Historic Boer War relics, Iron Age		*
I62	2628AA13	Melrose	Iron Age metal production				*
I63	2628AA33	Lonehill	Iron Age pottery	*
I64	2628AA34	Lonehill	Late Iron Age metal working site, stone walling on east of Tor	*
S66	2628AA1	Inanda	Early Stone Age				*
S67	2628AA2	Kensington, Langermanskop	Stone Age	*
S68	2628AA3	Spincewell via Balfour	Stone Age				*
S69	2628AA4	Judith’s Paarl	Stone Age				*
S70	2628AA5	Yeoville	Stone Age				*
S73	2628AA8	Houghton Ridge	Stone Age				*
S74	2628AA9	Rivonia	Stone Age				*
S75	2628AA10	Observatory Golf Course	Stone Age			*
S77	2628AA14/15	Buccleuch	Stone Age				*
S85	2628AA23	Leeuwkop Prison	Late Stone Age		*

Archaeological sites in Roodepoort according to the same classification, are listed below (Mark Wood Consultants, 1994).

NUMBER	SITE NO	SITE NAME	DESCRIPTION	GROUP
				1	2	3	4
C1	2627BB25	Rand Leases Mine	Cemetry				*
H2	2627BB9	Strubens Cottage	Historic, 19^th century mining		*
H3	2627BB17D	Panorama	Historic British				*
H4	2627BB19	Old lands Farm	Historic glass ware metal		?
H5	2627BB18	Golden Harvest	Historic farmhouse		?
I6	2627BB7	Princess 56	Iron Age				*
I7	2627BB17A	Panorama	Late iron Age furnace				*
I8	2627BB17B	Panorama	Iron Age uphill from A, 2 furnaces		?
I9	2627BB17C	Panorama	Late Iron Age, stone walls				*
I10	2627BB22	Northcliff	Iron Age Pottery				*
I11	2627BB1	Northcliff	Iron Age/Early Stone Age				*
SI12	2627BB3	Aasvogelkop Northcliff	Iron Age Stone Age				*
I13	2627BB15	Melville Cave west of Melville Koppies reserve	Iron Age Stone Age	*
SI14	2627BB16	Waterval	Iron Age, stone walled site Middle Stone Age				*
SI15	2627BB20	Witkoppen Tor	Iron Age Middle Stone Age granite shelter		*
SI16	2627BB4	Roosevelt Park	Stone Age		*
SI17	2627BB5	Roodekrans	Early Stone Age				*
SI18	2627BB23	Northcliff 226 Acacia Rd	Early Stone Age				*
SI19	2627BB24	Northcliff Fir Rd	Early Stone Age				*

Archaeological sites in Johannesburg not listed in the EMLC, include (Mark Wood Consultants, 1994).

NUMBER	SITE NUMBER	SITE NAME	DESCRIPTION	GROUP
				1	2	3	4
H57	2628AA35	Wilhelmina	Historic photos		*
H59	2628AA37	Newtown Transnet Museum Dump	Historic Urban Dump		*
H60	2627AA39	Hospital Hill	Historic Fort	*
SI65	2628AA19	Melville National Monument	Late Iron Age Maloko Pottery	*
S71	2628AA6	Parkview golf course	Stone Age				*
S72	2628AA7	Parkview	Stone Age				*
S76	2628AA11	Morningside Street Johannesburg	Middle Stone Age				*
S77	2628AA12	Oaklands	Stone Age				*
S80	2628AA16	Papenfus’ farm	Stone Age				?
S81	2628AA17	26 Smits Rd	Early Stone Age				*
S82	2628AA18	Emmarentia	Early Stone Age				*
S83	2628AA20	49 Cambridge Ave	Middle Stone Age				*
S84	2628AA22	Prof Dart’s Garden	Stone Age				*
S86	2628AA25	Craighall Park	Early Stone Age in situ donga wall				*
S87	2628AA26	Wits University	Early Stone Age				*
S88	2628AA30	Primrose	Early Stone Age			?

Declared national monuments located in the EMLC (EMLC: LDO, 1997):

DECLARED NATIONAL MONUMENTS	GOVERNMENT NOTICE	DATE
Randjieslaagte Beacon, Parktown	248	28.02.65
Stone House, Parktown	425	22.02.68
Windybrow, Pietersen Street, Parktown	1295	04.07.75
Dutch Reformed Church, Jeppe	336	09.03.73
St Margaret’s House, Parktown	2048	05.11.76
Dutch Reformed Church, Jeppestown	2045	05.11.76
Nothwards, Parktown	1297	15.07.77
Dolobran, Parktown	2182	03.11.78
Die Veldtuin, Houghton Estate	291	20.02.81
Poswohl Synagogue, Mooi Street	2615	04.12.81
Yukon, erf 1290, Bezuidenhout Valley	2618	04.12.81
The Pines, Parktown	1068	22.05.81
Stone House, Parktown	1087	04.06.82
North Lodge, Parktown	1282	17.12.82
Emoyeni, Parktown	2277	26.10.84
Church Hall, Troyeville	2836	27.12.85
Pilrig House, Parktown	990	27.05.88
Main Building, King Edward VIII School, Houghton Estate	2683	17.12.83

National Monuments in Johannesburg not situated in the EMLC, are:

DECLARED NATIONAL MONUMENTS	GOVERNMENT NOTICE	DATE
Old Locomotive "Emil Kessler" at Johannesburg Station	529	06.04.36
Cross erected by Bartholomew Dias at Wits University	667	06.05.36
Outcrop of Main Reef Group of Conglomorates Farm Langlaagte No 13	348	22.02.44
Paul Loevenstein Group of Relics Archeological Survey	290	08.02.44
Old Fort, Hospital Hill	9120	27.11.64
Melville Koppies Nature Reserve, Judith Road	1716	27.09.68
The Hamlet House	945(3)	04.06.93
The House on erven 974 & 975	945(4)	04.06.93
The Chinese United Mansions	945(5)	04.06.93
The Patidar Mansions	945(6)	04.06.93
The Colin Gordon Nursing Home, Hillbrow	945(7)	04.06.93
The House on Erf 53 at 217A Frederick Drive, Northcliff	945(8)	04.06.93
The Hebrew High School	945(9)	04.06.93
The House of Dr. Xuma, Triomf	945(10)	04.06.93
House Gordon, Parktown	945(11)	04.06.93
Post Office, Rissik Street	851	28.04.78
"Glenshiel" property, Westcliff	2166	10.08.78
City Hall Complex, Rissik Street	2250	12.10.79
Steam Locomotive Kitty, Rosherville	880	29.04.83
14 Greenhill Road, Emmarentia	859	09.05.86
Cuthberts building	1249	27.06.86
Friednskiche, Twist street	1249	27.06.86
Old Crown Mines Head Office, Selby	177	10.05.89
Langlaagte Deep Village	382	10.03.89
Landau Terrace 33, Richmond	2709	15.12.89
Facade of the head office of Wits University	2709	15.12.89
De Klerk’s Wrought Iron Works and Copper Smithy, Currey Str 24, Doornfontein	263	16.02.90
Facade of the head office of Jeppe High School	263	16.02.90
The View, Parktown	263	16.02.90
Old Jeppestown Post Office, 315 Main Street	1349	22.06.90
Leeuwhouse, 20 Roberts Lane	1850	10.08.90
Durris Street 29, Forest Town	1850	10.08.90
SA Institute for Medical Research, Hospital Street	536	22.03.91
The Cullinan, 3 Ash Street, Houghton	3167	27.12.91
Ville D’Este, 82 Jan Smuts Ave, Saxonworld	499	04.09.92
Parktown Boy’s High School	1	08.01.93
Salisbury House, 218-220 Marshall Str, Jeppestown	1	08.01.93
Johannesburg Art Gallery, Joubert Park	1	08.01.93
Stone Ledge, St David Rd, Houghton	1	08.01.93
Hazeldene Hall, Parktown	1716	10.09.93
The St Joseph’s Home for Children	413	04.03.94
Facade of the Kimberley House, 44 Pritchard Str	413	04.03.94
Scott Street House, Kensington	672	05.04.94
House, 37 Carter Road, Forest Hill	672	05.04.94
House, 34 Becker Street, Yeoville	672	05.04.94
Ansteys, cnr Jeppe & Joubert str	1085	17.06.94
Gandhi House, 19A Albermale Str	1598	23.09.94
Homestead & Jonkershuis Bezuidenhout Park, De Wetshof	1177	04.08.95
Newtown Compound	1151	04.08.95
5 Murray Street, Waverley	1441	22.09.95
Bell Tower of the Pinkster Pretestante Church, Triomf	1441	22.09.95
Hindu Crematorium. Brixton	1441	22.09.95
Parts of the old Fever Hospital, Braamfontein	1441	22.09.95
Enoch Sontonga Memorial Park, Braamfontein	1578	24.09.96
The Newtown Compound and Worker’s Cottage		04.08.95
The Bear Lodge House, 17 Elm Str, Houghton Estate	19719	05.02.99
Dysart House, 6 Sherborne Road, Parktown	19719	05.02.99
Guild Cottage, Guild Road, Parktown	19719	05.02.99
Mandela House, Ngakane Str, Orlando West, Soweto	19719	05.02.99

Historical buildings.

SUBURB	BUILDING	ADDRESS
Bellevue	Radoma Court	30 Cavendish Street
Berea	House	50 Cavendish Street
	Fire Station	2 Mitchell Street
Bertrams	Row Houses	41 Queen Street
Braamfontein	Fort	Kotze Street
	Central Block	Wits Univ, East campus
	Hillman Building	Wits Univ, East Campus
	Library	Wits Univ, East Campus
City and Suburban	Three Castles Buildings	207 Marshall Street
	Synagogue	Mooi Street
Doornfontein	Music school	96 End Street
Fairview	St. Andrews Church	374 Commissioner Street
	Fire Station Tower	400 Commissioner Street
	Dutch Reformed Church	84 Op de Bergen Street
Ferreirasdorp	Magistrate’s Courts	20 Fox Street
	Anglo American Offices	44/45 Main Street
Fordsburg	Sacks Hotel	44 Central Road
	Shops and Rooms	10 Commercial Road
	Shops	57 Main Street
	Shops and Rooms	59/62 Main Street
	Presbyterian Church	Mint Road
Jeppestown	Cosmopolitan Hotel	24 Albrecht Street
	St. Mary’s College	61 Berg Street
	House	55 Crown Road
	Grand Station Hotel	303 Main Street
	Post Office	315 Main Street
	Jooste and Bryant Building	299 Marshall Street
	Group of shops	317-323 Marshall Street
	Osborne Pharmacy	325 Marshall Street
	Salisbury House	418 Marshall Street
	Saint Mary the less Church	41 Park Street
	House	49 Robinson Street
	Saint John’s Church	40 Scott Street
Johannesburg Central	Ridgeway Mansions	161 Banket Street
	Peterhouse	233 Bree Street
	Orion/Hotpoint House	235 Bree Street
	Union Club of SA	244 Bree Street
	Stantam building	61-65 Commissioner Street
	New Library Hotel	67 Commissioner Street
	SA Permanent Building	73-75 Commissioner Street
	Barclays Bank	77-79 Commissioner Street
	Barclays Bank	85-87 Commissioner Street
	Union Castle Building	93 Commissioner Street
	Security House	95 Commissioner Street
	Investment House	97 Commissioner Street
	Saint Andrews Building	99 Commissioner Street
	Mosenthal’s Building	44 Loveday Street
	Library	Market Square
	Sasbank	66 Market Street
	Volkskasgebou	74 Market Street
	Western bank	78 Market Street
	Old Natal bank Barclays	90 Market Square
	Old Birch Building	92 Market Street
	Delmark House	123 Market Street
	Kensington Flats	102 Noord Street
	Aiton Court	4 Pietersen Street
	Windybrow	161 Pietersen Street
	Tower Building	26 Plein Street
	Jagger’s Building	President and Kruis Street
	Plantation House	President and Kruis Street
	Executive Towers	51 President Street
	Standard Bank Building	55 President Street
	Lewis and Marks Building	63 President Street
	Bakos Building	66 President Street
	Exchange Square	67 President Street
	Truworths	68 President Street
	Jacobson Building	87 President Street
	Barbican Building	89 President Street
	Mansfield Building	101 President Street
	Franwell Building	105 President Street
	Danzinger House	126 President Street
	Supreme Court	Pritchard Street
	Estromin House	28 Pritchard Street
	Kingston House	40 Pritchard Street
	Hendon House	42 Pritchard Street
	Kimberley House	44 Pritchard Street
	Stuttaford’s Building	56 Pritchard Street
	Markhams Building	67 Pritchard Street
	Hilson House	70 Pritchard Street
	Central Methodist Church	77 Pritchard Street
	Innes Building	82 Pritchard Street
	City Hall	Rissik Street
	Post Office	38 Rissik Street
	National Mutual Building	41 Rissik Street
	Ackermans Building	47 Rissik Street
	Trades Hall	63 Rissik Street
	Bank of Lisbon	37 Sauer Street
	The Star Building	45 Sauer Street
	Irol Mansions	76 Small Street
	Art Gallery	Twist Street
	German Church	Twist Street
	John Orrs Building	65 Von Brandis Street
	Arop House	73 Von Brandis Street
	Tower House	75 Von Brandis Street
	Clarendon Court	3 Willie Street
	Greek Orthodox Church	74 Wolmarans Street
	Great Synagogue	129 Wolmarans Street
	First Church of Christ Scientist	141 Wolmarans Street
	Jeppe Boys High School	23 Good Hope Street
Kensington	House	125 Highland Road
	House	14 Katoomba Street
	House	20 Roberts Avenue
	Kensington Sanatorium	21 Roberts Avenue
	House	33 Roberts Avenue
	Jeppe Girls High School	Roberts Avenue
Lorentzville	Row Houses	62-67 Carnarvon Road
Marshalltown	Goldfields Building	70-76 Commissioner Street
	SARB House	78 Commissioner Street
	Clegg House	82 Commissioner Street
	Commercial Union Building	84 Commissioner Street
	Annan House	86 Commissioner Street
	Protea Assurance	94 Commissioner Street
	Corporation Building	101 Commissioner Street
	Colosseum Building	134 Commissioner Street
	Hollard Place	71 Fox Street
	Standard Bank Centre	72-74 Fox Street
	Goldfields Building	75-77 Fox Street
	Reserve Bank	79-81 Fox Street
	Equity Building	88 Fox Street
	Colonial Mutual Building	90-94 Fox Street
	Sagit House	96-98 Fox Street
	Somerset House	110 Fox Street
	Legal and General Insurance	25-27 Harrison Street
	Consolidated Building	29 Harrison Street
	Permanent Building	32 Harrison Steet
	Standard Bank	33 Harrison Street
	Fire Station	11-17 Kruis Street
	Locarno and Geneva House	16-22 Loveday Street
	Maritime House	24-28 Loveday Street
	Aegis Building	32-34 Loveday Street
	Rand Club	33-35 Loveday Street
	Anglo Vaal Building	50-56 Loveday Street
	Union Corporation	74-78 Marshall Street
	Marshdale Building	102 Marshall Street
	Van Eck House	17-23 Rissik Street
	Commercial Union	25-27 Rissik Street
	Nedbank Building	22-28 Simmonds Street
Mayfair	Olympia Building	180 Main Street
Newtown	Old Market Building	135 Bree Street
Observatory	Union Observatory	18-20 Gill Street
	House	11a Grace Road
Yeoville	Saint Adrain’s Church	Cavendish Street
	Saint Mark’s Presbyterian Church	Frances Street
	Nazareth House	Webb Street

The main areas of cultural and historical importance in the SMLC, relate to the pre-colonial culture, and are found in the vicinity of the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve and Rietvlei. These cultures date from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. A host of important sites also exist in Soweto, including houses of individuals and places of important political events (SMLC: LDO, 1997).

REFERENCES

EMLC, SMLC 1997: Land Development Objective.

Enviro Facts 1999c: Urban Conservation. http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/EnvFacts/facts/urban_conserve.htm

GJMC 1997a: Historical Buildings. GJMC: Johannesburg

Mark Wood Consultants 1994: An investigation into metropolitan open space. CWRSC: Johannesburg.

Walmsley Environmental Consultants 1997: GJTMC Integrated Metropolitan Development Plan - Report No. W262. WEC: Rivonia.

The Geographic Information files are WinZiped and best viewed with ArcExplorer - (Click to download)

Home Page Java Navigation

Please Reference the Copyright with the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council.
For problems or questions regarding this web contact the Web Editor.
Last updated: January 19, 2000.
Thanks for visiting, you are visitor number:

Please Reference the Copyright with the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council. For problems or questions regarding this web contact the Web Editor. Last updated: January 19, 2000. Thanks for visiting, you are visitor number:

Please Reference the Copyright with the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council.
For problems or questions regarding this web contact the Web Editor.
Last updated: January 19, 2000.
Thanks for visiting, you are visitor number: