One of the Western Cape’s best-known language and cultural landmarks, the South African Centre for the Netherlands and Flanders (SASNEV), will have to relocate later this year after its property in Pinelands was sold.
Since 1997, SASNEV (formerly Huis der Nederlanden) has served as a popular and inclusive scholarly and reception space for many leading linguistic and academic figures, as well as the broader public. This dynamic and unique independent centre at Central Square where the cultural interests of the Netherlands, Flanders and South Africa come together, is primarily focused on South Africans, with the aim of fostering and exchanging shared language and cultural experiences. In 2025, it made headlines for successfully bringing the poet Ingrid Jonker’s complete physical archive back to South Africa after it had been in the Netherlands for many years.
According to its CEO, Eureka Barnard, they now face the exciting challenge of finding a new space where their ideas, cultural exchanges and sense of community can continue. “There are after all several institutions that use SASNEV’s premises,” she says, referring among others to the extensive Dutch Library Cape Town, the General Netherlands Association, the Southern African Society for Netherlandic Studies, Nederlandse School Kaapstad, Learn Dutch, Orde van den Prince as well as the VOC Foundation.
“We remain hopeful that a scaled-down library and BiblionefSA (a non-profit book donation organisation) will be able to relocate with us. We would also like to continue providing a home for some of the associations that are currently part of the SASNEV family.” These include the Cape Town Photographic Society, the Cape Guild of Weavers, the Genealogical Society of South Africa (Western Cape) and the Indigenous Bulb Association of South Africa, all of which are among the oldest associations in the country. The biggest challenge for management at present is to find a space for the books and, of course, also for Thibertha, SASNEV’s charming four-legged cat princess.
According to Jan Mutton, SASNEV chair and former ambassador of Belgium, the institution’s core policy remains unchanged. “We will simply have to adapt our existing vision and programmes to a different space. In addition, we will certainly try to remain a home for the archives of the cultural organisations currently affiliated with us. We will also continue at full steam to bring South Africans, Dutch and Flemish people together through projects that reflect the cultural life of the Netherlands and Flanders.”
Barnard emphasises that ties with Neerlandistiek (Netherlandic Studies) locally and abroad are very important to SASNEV. “In particular, the universities of Cape Town, the Western Cape and Stellenbosch, the Flemish Representation in South Africa, as well as the Belgian and Dutch consulates in Cape Town, play a major role.”
The current premises were previously the Dutch Reformed Church Pinelands’ church hall, but the church has continued to have access to the space and has hosted, among other things, the popular Vintage and Kuier markets. In addition to the library, regular cultural events, language discussions and even cuisine from the Low Countries have attracted thousands of South Africans and international visitors to the institution.
“The move to a new space also marks the end of what one could call an illustrious era in our existence,” says Barnard. “We do hope, however, that we will be able to find a place in the vicinity of the current building where we can continue to shine, ensure continuity and remain accessible to our loyal public.”
Friends of SASNEV, or interested parties, are encouraged to get in touch if they are aware of a suitable space, Barnard adds. Visit sasnev.co.za/en for more information, email info@sasnev.co.za or call 021 531 5831.