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The high vacancy rate at the Boipatong Monument and Youth Centre and the Sharpeville Human Rights Precinct affects operations and service delivery.

Several positions are vacant at these two heritage sites, which include tour guides, receptionists, and cleaners.

Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) conducted oversight inspections at the heritage sites to determine whether they are not fully functional.

Boipatong Monument and Youth Centre is partially functional and is not open on weekends due to staff shortage.

This is hindering tourists from visiting the precinct and further deprives local entrepreneurs of benefiting from this heritage site.

It is high time our residents have full access to this heritage site, as this will grow our tourism sector and create employment opportunities.

Furthermore, the Old Sharpeville Police Station does not have an archive gallery.

The DA will submit questions to the Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR), Morakane Mosupyoe, to ascertain why vacancies have not been filled at these heritage sites.

We will further ask why the history of the Sharpeville Massacre is not fully preserved through showcasing archives for residents and tourists.

Issued by Kingsol Chabalala MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR)