Topic: Culture and Heritage Content: World Heritage Sites
Concept: World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are places of outstanding universal value and have been awarded international recognition by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
UNESCO: logo
The role of UNESCO: main function
Constant monitoring to maintain and protect the status of the World Heritage Sites.
Provide support in terms of management plans.
Assistance with upgrading of facilities in the event of an unforeseen occurrence.
Financial aid is provided in cases of unforeseen occurrences.
Engage with relevant stakeholders when the World Heritage Sites are threatened.
Education / create awareness.
Promote co-operation and development.
Encourage people to nominate sites to be included in the World Heritage Site list.
Support countries in building public awareness for the protection of World Heritage Sites.
Encourage the local population to preserve their cultural and natural heritage.
Types of World Heritage Sites
Cultural
Natural
Mixed (cultural and natural)
Cultural landscapes: places where people have evolved and interacted with the natural world around them and where this has particular significance
World Heritage Sites in South Africa
Free State and North West
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Cradle of Humankind (1999)
Gauteng, Limpopo and North West
Cultural
Robben Island (1999)
Western Cape
Cultural
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (2003)
Limpopo
Cultural
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (2007)
Northern Cape
Cultural
Khomani Cultural Landscape (2017)
Northern Cape
Cultural
iSimangaliso Wetland Park (1999)
KwaZulu Natal
Natural
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (2004)
Western Cape
Natural
Vredefort Dome (2005)
Free State and North West
Natural
Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains (2018)
Mpumalanga
Natural
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park (2000)
KwaZulu Natal
Mixed
Location of World Heritage Sites on a map of South Africa
Description of each WHS in South Africa and how they meet UNESCO’s criteria
Cradle of Humankind
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Cradle of Humankind (1999)
Gauteng, Limpopo and North West
Cultural
The Cradle of Humankind is made up of five different fossil-bearing cave sites namely Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and surrounding areas, the Makapan Valley and Taung Skull fossil site.
These sites provide evidence on the origins and the evolution of humankind over at least the past 3.5 million years.
Major fossil findings include:
the Taung skull, that of a three or four-year old child
Mrs Ples and Little Foot found in Sterkfontein and the surrounding area
UNESCO CRITERIA
(iii)
to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living, or which has disappeared
(vi)
to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance
Robben Island
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Robben Island (1999)
Western Cape
Cultural
Robben Island is located in Table Bay, Cape Town.
Robben Island was used at various times between the 17th century and the 20th century as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups, and a military base.
Its buildings, and in particular those of the late 20th century maximum security prison for political prisoners, testify to the way in which democracy and freedom triumphed over oppression and racism.
Robben Island is best known for the prison where Nelson Mandela spent much of his 27 years of imprisonment.
Current threats: poor maintenance and management; the pressure of increasing visitor numbers.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(iii)
to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living, or which has disappeared
(vi)
to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park (1999)
KwaZulu Natal
Natural
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is one of the outstanding natural wetland and coastal sites of Africa.
It has five interlinked ecosystems namely marine, coastal, wetland, estuarine and terrestrial (land-based) which are scenically beautiful and basically unmodified by people.
These include coral reefs, beaches, sand dunes, lake systems, swamps and wetlands.
The different ecosystems support over 6500 animal and plant species.
It is the last place on earth where giant leatherback and loggerhead turtles still nest.
Current threats: overuse from tourism and unsustainable fishing; invasive alien vegetation.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(vi)
to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance
(ix)
to be outstanding examples representing significant on going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animal
(x)
to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation
uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park (2000)
KwaZulu Natal
Mixed
The site forms part of the Maloti Transfrontier Park between South Africa and Lesotho.
The site has exceptional natural beauty and has a high level of endemic (lives or grows only in a specific area) and threatened bird and plant species.
The San rock art of the Drakensberg, created over a period of 4,000 years, is the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in Africa, south of the Sahara.
Current threats: invasive alien plant species; fire; infrastructural developments; soil erosion; tourist impacts on mountain trails; poaching.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(i)
to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius
(iii)
to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living, or which has disappeared
(vi)
to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance
(x)
to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (2003)
Limpopo
Cultural
Mapungubwe is located on South Africa’s border with Zimbabwe and Botswana.
During the Iron Age, around 900 to 1 300 AD, the Kingdom of Mapungubwe was the largest in Southern Africa.
Mapungubwe was a flourishing city and trading centre.
Findings at the site have shown that its people traded gold and ivory with other African peoples and with countries such as India and China.
In the 14th century the region became colder and drier and the people were forced to move away as the land could no longer sustain a high population using traditional farming methods.
Current threats: the coal mine next to the site; the possibility that the government may grant more licences for mining.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(ii)
to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning, or landscape design
(iii)
to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living, or which has disappeared
(iv)
to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history
(v)
to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (2004)
Western Cape
Natural
The Cape Floral Region consists of eight areas that stretch from the West Coast of South Africa to the Eastern Cape.
It is one of the richest areas for plants in the world e.g. fynbos.
It represents less than 0.5% of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of the continent’s flora.
It is of outstanding value to science because of its unique plant reproductive strategies that are adaptive to fire and seed dispersal by ants and termites.
Current threats: invasive alien species; fire; climate change; development pressures caused by a growing population.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(ix)
to be outstanding examples representing significant on going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals
(x)
to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation
Vredefort Dome
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Vredefort Dome (2005)
North West and Free State
Natural
The Vredefort Dome was caused by a meteor that hit the earth over two thousand million years ago.
It is estimated that the meteorite was 10 km in diameter, and it left a crater that is 300 km in diameter.
It provides important information about the earth’s geological history.
It is the oldest, biggest and most deeply eroded meteorite crater in the world.
Threats: much of the land is privately owned, which means special land use planning requirements are necessary; the need to keep the landscape natural and maintain public access to it.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(viii)
to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (2007)
Northern Cape
Cultural
The Richtersveld is the home to the last remaining members of the Nama tribe who still practise their traditional semi-nomadic way of life.
The Nama people build reed shelters, collect medicinal plants and practice pastoral grazing with their sheep and goats.
Their seasonal, pastoral grazing sustains the extensive biodiversity of the area.
This site provides a perfect example of how humans can co-exist with nature without destroying it.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(iv)
to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history
(v)
to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change
Khomani Cultural Landscape
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Khomani Cultural Landscape (2017)
Northern Cape
Cultural
The Khomani Cultural Landscape is located at the border with Botswana and Namibia.
The site is associated with the culture of the formerly nomadic Khomani San people and the strategies that allowed them to adapt to harsh desert conditions.
The Khomani San practise a traditional hunter-gatherer way of life.
They follow the tracks of animals for days and kill the animal with a poisoned arrow.
Their knowledge about the use of plants for medicine is well known.
They have developed skills to utilize scarce resources such as water and find plant foods in an extremely hostile environment.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(v)
to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change
(vi)
to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance
Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains
NAME OF WHS
PROVINCE
TYPE
Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains (2018)
Mpumalanga
Natural
This site is one of the world’s oldest geological structures, with volcanic and sedimentary rock dating back 3.5 billion years.
It is the only place on earth where the development of the early earth and evolution of life itself can be studied. Because of that, the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains are referred to as the “Genesis of Life”.
The site has presented evidence of the oldest fossilised bacteria on the planet.
The area also has a rich diversity of plant species, all set-in spectacular scenery.
UNESCO CRITERIA
(viii)
to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features
The value of the World Heritage Sites to South Africa’s tourism industry
The sites receive national and international recognition which will result in an increase in visitor numbers.
An increase in tourist numbers will lead to the creation of job opportunities due to increased demand for services.
Tourism will generate income due to a demand for products and services e.g. accommodation, transport, entry fees, food, drink, etc.
Increased visitor numbers will set the multiplier effect into motion.
Standards of living will be improved through money directly or indirectly earned by tourism.
There will be a boost in the economic activity lending itself to increased GDP and benefiting all establishments in the area.
