The historical lighthouse at Africa’s southernmost point, Cape Agulhas, is set for a R4.2-million upgrade, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba recently revealed.

Transnet Rehabilitation, Maintenance and Emergency Works, a unit within Transnet Freight Rail, is spearheading the restoration of the lighthouse, in the Agulhas National Park, in the Western Cape.

In a response to a Parliamentary question, answered on March 30, Gigaba said Transnet was evaluating three subcontracting tenders it received in March and that the group would award the contract once the adjudication process was completed.

The scope of work was approved by the South African Heritage Resource Agency, in the Western Cape.

The lighthouse was built and commissioned in 1849 and was declared a national monument in 1973.

Responding to a question from the Democratic Alliance regarding the ongoing maintenance of the lighthouse, the Minister said that the maintenance of the aids to navigation-related equipment and infrastructure at the lighthouse would remain the responsibility of Transnet’s National Ports Authority division Lighthouse and Navigational systems.

He noted that the contractual agreement that was entered into with SANParks in 1999, provided for the conservation-related activities at the lighthouse and adjoining land to be transferred to SANParks.