3 more heritage sites for SA
2005-04-28 10:47
Cape Town - South African officials are optimistic the country will be awarded an additional three World Heritage sites during a forthcoming committee meeting in Durban.
"We are almost 80% certain that the sites will be inscribed [on the World Heritage List]," said Maria Mbengashe, biodiversity and heritage chief director at the department of environmental affairs and tourism.
Mbengashe said the sites would be considered during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee when it met in Durban from July 10 to 19.
She said South Africa had six sites already listed, with the most recent, the Cape floristic protected areas region, inscribed in 2004.
Other sites are the Greater St Lucia wetlands park in KwaZulu-Natal, Robben Island, the Cradle of Humankind including Sterkfontein, Ukhahlamba/Drakensberg and the Mapungubwe cultural landscape in Limpopo.
South Africa was now lobbying for three additional sites - Vredefort Dome bordering the North West and Free State provinces, Makapans Valley in Limpopo and Taung Skull Fossil site in the North West.
Mbengashe said the latter two would be extensions of the Cradle of Humankind site.
"Having such sites have many benefits. It is a site of universal cultural or natural value. It also has potential for tourism."
Mbengashe said the department had a tentative list for more sites to be submitted, but these obviously had to meet the international standards set by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), which oversees the list.
The Unesco website said the organisation sought to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
This was embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by Unesco in 1972.
- SAPA