- Princess Vlei has introduced a QR code plaque to provide instant information about its rich history.
- The project, supported by civic organisations and the City of Cape Town, aims to make heritage more accessible.
- The QR code is just the first step toward integrating technology into the site’s storytelling.
Visitors frequenting Princess Vlei, who may want to learn the rich history of the heritage site, can now do so at the click of a button.
Last week, officials from the City of Cape Town, civic organisations, Western Cape Government and Heritage Western Cape (HWC) unveiled a plaque with a Quick Response (QR) code.
The QR code would enable visitors to have instant information on the heritage site.
Dr Michael Janse van Rensburg, CEO of HWC, explained that visitors would be able to access information immediately, unlike other heritage sites across the city.
“If you visit provincial heritage sites you can see a plaque, but if you want to find more information about the sites, you must do a Google search,” he shared.
“The idea with the QR code is that some of that information is quickly available at your fingertips.”
“In the future, these QR codes can be connected to online exhibitions and so on.”
Grateful
Janse van Rensburg emphasised that the unveiling of the QR code was the first step in that process.
Gary Stewart, chair of the Princess Vlei Forum, thanked the HWC for elevating Princess Vlei to a heritage site.
“I want to acknowledge the work HWC has done in profiling this space,” he said. “The traditional notion of heritage is colonial statues and structures situated close to the city, so I want to acknowledge the work of HWC… they understood what heritage really is, which is meaningful to the community.”
Princess Vlei Forum is an organisation that works to rehabilitate and educate the public on the rich heritage of Princess Vlei.
“The organisation was started in early 2010 when there was at one stage a move to develop a mall at the space, but the community came together, first nations, civic organisations and community activists,” Stewart recalled. “They mobilised and raised the profile of this space, in doing so development was stopped and since then we developed a relationship with the City to rehabilitate the space.”
Celebration
Ward 72 councillor Kevin Southgate said it was a milestone to celebrate the evolution of Princess Vlei.
“Princess Vlei was a neglected space for many years, for decades,” he shared. “I can clearly remember many years ago when we lined Princess Vlei with our placards and banners to oppose the proposal of a development for a mall on the Eastern shore of Princess Vlei.
“If it had not been for the commitment shown by the Princess Vlei Forum, we would not be where we are today.”
The restoration of Princess Vlei can be challenging, he added.
“I have been able to plough millions of rands, through the City and ward allocation budget, into planting new vegetation, restoring and rehabilitating this space,” said Southgate. “The fact that we have an agreement with the City will go a long way but the challenges are still real. We have to continually, on an annual basis contend for funding and resources so we can do what needs to be done.”
Meanwhile, Inventories Gradings and Interpretations Committee (IGIC) chair Ron Martin said the QR code creates the opportunity to add intangible heritage to the site.
“Our engagements from the City of Cape Town have produced many painful and necessary discussions about their identification process to include social history and intangible heritage as part of their identification criteria,” he said. “The unveiling of a QR code is testimony to that and I think therein lies the opportunity to add all the different narratives with a click of your phone or whatever electronic device you use. It adds that other rich narrative to the site for us to appreciate.”
