The socio-historical Collection of the Genadendal Mission Museum, housed at the Genadendal Mission Museum, was declared a cultural treasure in terms of section 5 (c) of the then National Monuments Act, No.28 of 1969 on 8 March 1991. In terms of section 58 (11)(f) of the NHRA, all previously declared cultural treasures are Specifically Declared Heritage Objects/Collection(s).
The Specifically Declared Genadendal Mission Museum Collection includes a human skull. At the time of the declaration, it was not uncommon nor considered unethical, for human remains to be exhibited and viewed in the same way as objects. This perception has changed and policies inform that it is unethical for museums to keep human remains in their collections.
In this regard, the Genadendal Mission Museum have deaccessioned the human skull from its collection to be returned to the claimant for reburial. SAHRA, therefore, withdraws the declaration status from the human skull. The human skull is also withdrawn from the inventory of the Specifically Declared Genadendal Mission Museum Collection.
