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Our grave relocation service focuses on the handling of the complete relocation process including project conceptualisation, planning, liaising with clients and their next of kin, social consultation and application for all the relevant and necessary permits.
Our archaeologists are registered as Professional Archaeologists with the Association of Southern African
Archaeologists (ASAPA) and Amafaas well as having accreditation with the Cultural Resources Management (CRM) Section of ASAPA ranging from Field Directors to Principal Investigator.
Our most prominent clients are:
Testimonials:
The value of Heritage Impact Assessments is very often understated as applied to the EIA process, especially in developing urban areas. PGS has consistently identified heritage associated risks posed to Marsh's projects/clients, with heritage issues frequently surpassing environmental issues in significance. PGS has the presence and experience to provide meaningful insights and solutions to these problems and continuously provides high quality reports, on time and within budget. I highly recommended working with PGS.
Steven Ingle - Marsh Environmental Services
“PGS has delivered good quality work within expected timelines and budget on my projects. The communication from the PGS team is efficient and the working relationship definitely delivered on my expectations of a specialist service provider and thus ensures that PGS remain my specialist of choice on Heritage matters.”
Bongani Diko - Director: Metago4Good (Pty) Ltd
Henk S. Steyn, Managing Director
Henk is Managing Director and one of the founding members of PGS. He has been involved in Heritage Resources and business management for the past 14 years. The past 8 years his focus shifted from pure heritage resources management to that of specialist project management of grave relocation projects. He has acted as project manager on more than 50 grave relocation projects for various environmental consulting firms, engineering firms, mining companies and developers. His firm grasp of the grave relocation process and the intricacies of the logistics or large scale grave relocation projects has earned him a reputation as one of the foremost grave relocation project managers.
Henk holds a BA (Hon) (Cum Laude) in Archaeology has furthered his qualifications in business and accounts management.
His main expertise covers Project Management of large scale grave relocation projects, Archaeological input in surveys. Coupled with this Henk utilises his business back ground to provide PGS with a firm financial grounding and clear business goals.
With the other Directors of PGS Henk provides the back bone to a strong core of managers that is guiding PGS to exciting new frontiers
Henk is accredited with ASAPA as a Professional Archaeologist and has CRM grading as a Field Director in Grave Relocations. He also services on the Council of ASAPA.
Wouter Fourie, Director
Wouter is a Director and one of the founding members of PGS. He has been involved in Heritage Resources management for the past 14 years acting as specialist consultant on various high profile projects involving heritage and archaeology. He has acted as project manager on more than 300 heritage impact assessments and grave relocation projects for various environmental consulting firms, engineering firms, mining companies and developers in areas such Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West Province, Northern and Western Cape. He has also worked on heritage projects in Botswana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wouter holds a BA (Hon) (Cum Laude) in Archaeology and is currently busy with further postgraduate research in heritage management.
His main expertise covers Project Management, Archaeological input in surveys, mitigation and management, Grave Relocation management and consultation, Historical Research, GIS management and technical liaisons, heritage impact management and project analysis.
He is also actively involved in the management of the business and focuses on marketing and new business for PGS specifically focussed on the Western and Eastern Cape and the larger SADC region.
Wouter is accredited with Amafa and ASAPA as a Professional Archaeologist and has CRM grading as a Principal Investigatorin Grave Relocations and Field Director in Iron Age.
He is married to Ronelle and has a son Xander and daughter Cara.
Polke D. Birkholtz, Director
Polke is a Director and one of the founding members of PGS. He has been involved in Heritage Resources management for the past 15 years acting as specialist consultant on various high profile projects involving heritage and archaeology. He has acted as project manager on more than 170 heritage impact assessments, grave relocation projects as well as historical and archival studies for various environmental consulting firms, engineering firms, mining companies and developers in areas such Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West Province, Northern Cape and Free State. He has also worked on heritage and archaeological projects in Botswana and Swaziland.
Polke holds a BA (Hon) (Cum Laude) in Archaeology and is planning to continue with further postgraduate studies in the near future.
His main expertise covers Project Management, Archaeological and historical input in surveys, mitigation and management, Grave Relocation management and consultation, Heritage Impact Assessments, Historical Archaeology as well as Historical and Archival Research.
Polke is also actively involved in the management of the business and focuses his attention on the social consultation component of grave relocation, the undertaking of Phase 2 Mitigation projects in terms of Late Iron Age and Historical (Colonial) archaeological sites as well as the development of the Botswana side of the business in close association with Botswana archaeologist Wim Biemond.
He is accredited with ASAPA as a Professional Archaeologist.
Polke is married to Heidi and has a two year old son named Jonah.
Nkosinathi G. Tomose – Professional Arcaheologist
Nathi joined PGS in 2010 as Archaeologist and Heritage Specialist. As part of hiswork experience within the field of archaeology and CRM, he has worked for the Department of Archaeology Wits University as a Collections Manager, before joining the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) as a Cultural Heritage Officer and Archaeologist. At SAHRA, he was exposed to a variety of fields which include among others: Heritage Impact Assessment (including heritage orientated Public Participation Process); Archaeological Impact Assessment; Built Environment & Landscape Impact Assessment; as well as Grave Relocations. Nathi has a Master of Science (MSc) in Rock Art Studies (Archaeology & Heritage Management), and his area of expertise covers:Project Manager management of heritage and grave relocation projects Finds manager responsible for management of finds and materials from heritage and archaeological mitigation Social Facilitator – consulting with families and communities directly affected by grave relocations and heritage related projects. Management of document pathway through SAHRA and other heritage authorities Involved researching socio-historical, political and economic issues affecting Migrant Labour issues: their forms of social organisation, resistance, and their socio-cultural and political histories. These include research into African and European migrant labourers associated with large scale industries such as mining and construction. Strategic planning and institutional development e.g. marketing and promotion of cultural heritage institutions and sites such as museums, theatres, interpretation centres. And in collections management and crafts trade.
Nathi is accredited with ASAPA as a Professional Archaeologist and CRM grading at Field Supervisor Level in Grave Relocation, Rock Art and Iron Age.
John Anderson – Head Field Technician and logistics
John joined PGS in 2001 as an intern, and has in the past 10 years gained valuable knowledge in field work techniques, logistics of excavations and field surveys. He is responsible for arranging logistics associated with grave relocations, archaeological excavations and field surveys.
Thomas Mulaudzi – Field Supervisor and community Liaison
Thomas has been involved in archaeology and archaeological field work since 1998 and in this time has become an invaluable member of the field work management of PGS projects. He is arguably one of the most experience excavators of human remains in the Southern African Region, with field experience as general excavator and later specialist field technician for PGS. Thomas also acts as community liaison with rural communities during field work.
Jennifer Kitto – Office Manager and Heritage Specialist
Jennifer joined PGS in 2011 as Office Manager and Heritage Specialist. Previously she worked for the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) as a Cultural Heritage Officer, first with the Gauteng Provincial Office (nine years) and then with the Burial Grounds and Graves Unit (three years). At SAHRA, she gained experience in a variety of fields which include among others: processing permits for burial grounds and graves relocation and alteration or rescue of burials that are protected; assisting with organising commemoration events for historical and/or formally declared graves; reviewing Heritage Impact Assessment reports (including Archaeological Impact Assessment reports and Built Environment & Landscape Impact Assessment reports); being involved in heritage orientated Public Participation Processes; liaison with various local, provincial and national authorities; conversance with local and overseas heritage legislation and procedures as well as knowledge of local environmental legislation.
Jennifer holds a BA degree in Archaeology and a BA (Hons) degree in Social Anthropology. She is currently busy with a Masters in Archaeology.
Her areas of expertise include:
Management of heritage and grave relocation projects– consulting with families and communities directly affected by grave relocations and heritage related projects Management of document pathway through SAHRA and other heritage authorities Researching socio-historical, political and economic issues