GEORGE NUUS - Minstens twee instansies, die George Erfenistrust en die Stigting Simon van der Stel, het hulle uitgespreek teen die moontlikheid om voorwerpe van die George-museum op bruikleen aan die geskiedkundige tolhuis beskikbaar te stel. 

Die George Herald het op 16 Januarie berig dat die moontlikheid bestaan, maar dat niks gefinaliseer is nie. As dit die groen lig kry, sal dit beteken dat die ou tolhuis as 'n soort satelliet-instansie van die museum kan dien. Planne is egter nog in 'n vroeë stadium.

Die aangeleentheid het verlede Donderdag tydens die maandelikse vergadering van die George Erfenistrust ter sprake gekom.

Na die vergadering het die George Erfenistrust en die Stigting Simon van der Stel verklarings uitgereik.

Luidens die verklaring van die George Erfenistrust neem die trust kennis van die moontlikheid. In die verklaring word onder meer daarna verwys dat die tolhuis op 'n afgeleë plek is en dat dit al voorheen afgebrand het.

Natie de Swardt het namens Stigting Simon van der Stel 'n verklaring uitgereik.

De Swardt het gesê museumstukke moet sover moontlik uitgestal word om hul doel te dien. Uitstallings moet ook afgewissel word. Op die oog af, is daar hoofsaaklik twee bedreigings vir museumstukke in die tolhuis: ekstern en intern.

Gerda Stols, voorsitter van die Vriende van die Tolhuis, het Maandag in reaksie gesê sy neem kennis van die standpunte. Sy het benadruk dat die George-museum streng vereistes het voordat dat die museumstukke beskikbaar gestel sal word. "Ons sal voldoen aan die vereistes."

Volgens haar het die Nasionale Erfenistrust reeds 'n transportwa op bruikleen beskikbaar gestel. "Dit is vir ons 'n aanduiding dat hulle glo aan ons geloofwaardigheid."

Sy het gesê die Kaaplandse museumdienste het ook 'n voltydse persoon beskikbaar gestel wat by die tolhuis sal diens doen sodra dit weer sy deure open. "Van die goedere sal eers gerestoureer moet word en ons probeer dit bewaar."

Statement: George Heritage Trust
The George Heritage Trust has taken note of the possibility of some artefacts in the custody of the George Museum being exhibited at the old toll house, as reported in the George Herald of 16 January 2020.

It is an unfortunate reality that artefacts are stolen from museums all over this country. Burglar bars and alarms are not a deterrent. All kinds of artefacts are sought after, with hand-made iron objects one of the targeted categories.

Museum artefacts are part of the national estate and museum authorities are the custodians who must safeguard them on behalf of the people, also of unborn generations. 

They are cultural objects, produced to provide in the needs of earlier populations in a specific environment, and are time and era-bound. They are physical evidence of past innovativeness and ingenuity, are often unique and are irreplaceable. In the modern South Africa, they play an important part in education and nation building.

Several decades ago the George Heritage Trust went to great lengths to negotiate, obtain and then transport the entire contents of an old blacksmith with much social history from Volstruislaagte in the district of Willowmore and entrusted it to the custody of the George Museum for safekeeping. Actions to unduly expose those artefacts to known threats, without sufficient deterrent, may be seen as containing an element of breach of trust.

The toll house is in a remote location. Parts of the building have been stolen and the Friends of the Museum have fitted burglar bars with good reason. An alarm system, connected to a security company in town, has now been installed. Unfortunately, a generator can be brought to the building and power implements can be used to remove burglar bars and penetrate the building. Alarms only go off upon entry into a building, giving criminals ample time to remove objects and to escape capture. Limited access roads to the building make it possible to detect approaching security personnel from afar. That diminishes the threat of capture and makes it easy to set a trap.

The toll house has burned down on at least two occasions before and is very vulnerable to fires, something we are told to expect more frequently in future.

In addition to external threats, artefacts will be subjected to internal threats within the toll house. One of the fundamental principles involved in museum science is that artefacts, even metal ones, are not to be exposed to domestic atmospheric conditions. The toll house makes use of open gas flames for preparing coffee and pan cakes. In the toll house, the artefacts will be housed in a space where there will be eating and drinking, an absolute no-no for the preservation of artefacts.

The Trust is of the opinion that the addition of tools from a smithy would be an inappropriate exhibit in a toll house. Whatever exhibits are displayed in the toll house should be in keeping with the use of the building and should contribute to the understanding of the public as to the functioning of the building for which it was purpose-built. The inclusion of metal working tools in the toll building would only serve to confuse and obfuscate the history.

It is the view of the George Heritage Trust that physical restraints like burglar bars and an alarm, given the location of the site, do not serve as a deterrent to match the risk artefacts there will be exposed to.

The moving of irreplaceable artefacts from safe custody to the toll house is strongly opposed. It may even border on abdication of responsibility by the George Museum, who were entrusted with these artefacts for safekeeping.

Verklaring: Simon van der Stel-stigting
Museumstukke moet sover moontlik uitgestal word om hul doel te dien. Uitstallings moet ook afgewissel word. Op die oog af, is daar hoofsaaklik twee bedreigings vir museumstukke in die tolhuis: ekstern en intern.

Die eksterne bedreiging hou verband met die algemene misdaadsituasie in die land. En dit sluit sinnelose vandalisme in. 'n Mens aanvaar dat die toepaslike owerhede 'n deeglike veiligheidsanalise moet doen voor hulle onvervangbare voorwerpe van enorme nie-tasbare betekenis verskuif. 

Op die oog af, ook vanweë die tolhuis se afgesonderdheid, is dit moeilik om te glo dat daar genoegsame passiewe beveiliging soos tralies en alarms aan die tolhuis aangebring kan word om misdaadbedreiging af te weer. Die gevaar van veldbrande is ook steeds daar.

Intern is die probleem dat artefakte teen beskadigende invloede beskerm moet word. Hoewel dit in die geval van die tolhuis miskien nie aan streng vereistes ten opsigte van temperatuur en vogtigheid sal hoef te voldoen nie, is dit 'n basiese reël van museums wêreldwyd dat kosbaarhede nie uitgestal word waar kos voorberei word en mense eet en drink nie.

'Ons bring jou die nuutste George, Tuinroete nuus'