National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999

to introduce an integrated and interactive system for the management of the national heritage resources;
to promote good government at all levels, and empower civil society to nurture and conserve their heritage resources so that they may be bequeathed to future generations;
to lay down general principles for governing heritage resources management throughout the Republic;
to introduce an integrated system for the identification, assessment and management of the heritage resources of South Africa;
to establish the South African Heritage Resources Agency together with its Council to co-ordinate and promote the management of heritage resources at national level;
to set norms and maintain essential national standards for the management of heritage resources in the Republic and to protect heritage resources of national significance;
to control the export of nationally significant heritage objects and the import into the Republic of cultural property illegally exported from foreign countries;
to enable the provinces to establish heritage authorities which must adopt powers to protect and manage certain categories of heritage resources;
to provide for the protection and management of conservation-worthy places and areas by local authorities; and
to provide for matters connected therewith.

1 April 2000 (Gazette 21051 of 31 March 2000)