Ca[e Town - Inspired by the recovery of the tourism sector, Robben Island Museum (RIM) said it has bolstered its partnerships with supporting stakeholders to revitalise the popular tourist spot.
The museum recently concluded a two-day workshop where it engaged its multiple partners, including the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI).
RIM CEO Abigail Thulare said that the two-day engagement workshop had generated massive data and information that the museum was looking forward to unpacking with its management and council to enable it to create a conducive business model.
“We are incredibly excited by the commitment displayed, in particular by DSAC and DPWI, to play a more active role in managing, preserving and developing RIM into a true asset of the South African people. During the two-day workshop, our engagements culminated in a renewed commitment to key deliverables between RIM, the DSAC and the DPWI.
“The commitments will be formalised soon, and this will effectively see the three parties taking collective responsibility for the sustainable operation of one of South Africa’s most iconic world heritage sites. RIM is not an island, and as such the sustainable operations can never be left only to the management,” Thulare said.
RIM said it also engaged its other stakeholders, the National Department of Tourism, SANPARKS, South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) Department of Environment, Forestry & Fisheries (DFFE), South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and the Ex Political Prisoners Association (EPPA) on how the different organisations can support its business revitalisation methods moving forward.
SAMSA reiterated its commitment to support government strategies for economic and social development while remaining environmentally and economically sustainable.
RIM said support for its future endeavours was also echoed by the DFFE, which highlighted the link between culture and nature, recognising how people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two.
RIM Council Chairperson Khensani Maluleke said: “We have embarked on a course of action that is geared to save jobs, increase revenue and facilitate the creation of memorable experiences for both domestic and international visitors. We have paid particular attention to how we make RIM more accessible to the domestic market.”
Sport, Arts and Culture Portfolio Committee member Denis Joseph, who was also in attendance at the workshop, said that the importance of partnerships was clearly articulated by the myriad of stakeholders who engaged meaningfully, all committed to contributing to the sustainability of RIM.
“For me, the maintenance of the ailing infrastructure is a major challenge, but I believe that meaningful partnerships with the broader stakeholders can significantly contribute to progress in this regard. At the end of the day, we want to see RIM be more accessible to local people, both from an economic and from a geographic perspective,” Joseph said.