The Old Navy Sanatorium reminds me of Zimbabwe
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Above Simon’s Town is a cluster of heritage buildings. Among them are the 1905 Royal Navy Sanatorium and a Signal School. However, like all things South African, this historical site has become a wasteland.
The decay of the buildings was noted ten years ago in a document published by the Simon’s Town Historical Society, where they stated that “the deterioration of the heritage buildings has set in (the last occupants of the Sanatorium were the South African Military Health Services in 2010).” The writer of the document notices the “lack of proper security” and the possibility of squatters.
In a recent visit to this historical site, I observed that the current “deterioration” includes hollowed-out buildings, empty beer bottles, trash, broken doors, broken glass, graffiti, and much more. The utter decay reminds me of the state of the Palace Barracks that I have already documented.
While the responsibility of the upkeep of the Palace Barracks ultimately sits with Heritage Western Cape CEO Michael Janse van Rensburg, the old sanatorium is a little different.
The ownership has fragmented between SANParks, the Department of Public Works, and others. At the point of writing, it is not clear who is currently responsible.
While walking around the site, the scene was oddly familiar. Only later, back at home, did the memory surface: the same signs of decline had been evident during work trips to Zimbabwe in the early 2010s. Yes indeed. The current state of the old Royal Navy Sanatorium and Signal School above Simon’s Town looks like something from Zimbabwe.
Independent news and opinion articles with a focus on the Western Cape, written for a more conservative audience – the silent majority with good old common sense.
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