Great to see company’s like our client, Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions getting involved with this initiative – helping to protect our heritage sites.
A landmark initiative under the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is taking shape along the Eastern Seaboard of KwaZulu-Natal. Since 2021, a Presidential project has been in progress to establish a transformative development that will boost the region economically and socially. Spanning from Port Shepstone to Port St. Johns, with Kokstad and Mbazana as gateway nodes, this ambitious revitalization aims to enhance marine infrastructure, roads, railways, industry, agriculture, and residential settlements. However, before development advances, a critical heritage audit is underway to ensure the protection of sites in the area, either finding a way to incorporate them into the project or exclude them altogether.
Recognizing the importance of preserving history amid modernization, Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions, a KwaZulu-Natal-based company specializing in integrated environmental and social solutions, was appointed by the South African Heritage Resources agency to conduct this vital heritage audit. Their mission is to identify, document, and find ways to incorporate heritage sites into the development sustainably. These sites include Stone Age relics, shipwrecks, petrified forests, cultural landmarks, and ancient health springs—each carrying invaluable historical and cultural significance.
To execute this effort, Triplo4 has enlisted two leading heritage specialists, archaeologists Gavin Anderson a co-director with Umlando South Africa, and Vanessa Maitland – who are meticulously compiling a heritage register. This extensive database, covering over 18,700 known heritage resources, is being assembled through a combination of oral histories, museum archives, and advanced mapping tools such as Google Earth. The goal is not only to safeguard these sites but also to explore opportunities for sustainable tourism that can integrate them into the broader development vision.
As Phase Two of the project commences, Triplo4 is engaging with local communities to ensure that heritage conservation remains a collective effort. The company invites the public to contribute heritage-related information within the project area (Ugu, Harry Gwala, Alfred Nzo, and OR Tambo District Municipalities). Submissions can include burial grounds, historical buildings, artefacts, shipwrecks, cultural landscapes, battlefields, monuments, and paleontological sites. Contributions can be sent to Triplo4 via justin@triplo4.com.
All documented heritage resources are being uploaded onto the South African Heritage Resources Information System (SAHRIS), a national online platform established by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) under the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA) of 1999. This ensures that developers and the general public alike can access crucial heritage data when planning projects in the area.
The final report from Triplo4 will outline strategies to integrate heritage preservation into the Eastern Seaboard City planning, promoting a future where progress and cultural heritage coexist harmoniously. As town planning and impact assessments proceed, the initiative sets a precedent for responsible, sustainable development that honours the rich history of the region while paving the way for economic growth.