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UNESCO World Heritage Sights in SA
Journey into Splendour: Unveiling Diversity and Cultural Richness of South Africa’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
By Raine St.Claire
South Africa’s landscape combines stunning beauty with remarkable diversity. It showcases a wealth of natural marvels, including mountains, forests, rock formations, beaches, deserts, and numerous geological features. Currently, South Africa proudly boasts ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites, recognised for their geological and cultural importance, meriting special recognition and protection beyond the national level according to UNESCO.
Cultural
1. Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa
Unveiling Human Origins: South Africa’s Fossil Hominid Sites feature dolomitic limestone terrain with caves, rocky formations, and lush valleys.
These sites are situated in Gauteng, Limpopo and North-west provinces and offer a treasure trove of scientific data, shedding light on human evolution over 3.5 million years, solidifying evidence that firmly establishes Africa as the Cradle of Humankind.
• Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai & Environs
The Cradle of Humankind in the Gauteng province holds the clues to the origins of humankind dating back several millions years. It’s a place of scientific importance, especially the Sterkfontein Caves which housed the pre-human skull of Mrs Ples and the Little Foot hominid fossil and most recently Homo naledi skeleton discovered in the Rising Star Cave.
• Makapan Valley
Fossils in Makapan Valley’s caves identify early hominids, notably Paranthropus, dating from 4.5 million to 2.5 million years ago, alongside evidence of fire domestication from 1.8 million to 1 million years ago.
• Taung Skull Fossil Site
Taung Skull, a specimen of Australopithecus Africanus, was discovered in a Dart Pinnacle limestone quarry amidst numerous archaeological and paleontological sites southwest of Sterkfontein Valley.
2. The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
A Tale of Royalty and Evolution: Located within the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, along South Africa’s northern border, where it meets Zimbabwe and Botswana, the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape encompasses an expansive savannah at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. Once a thriving kingdom, it was the largest in the sub-continent until its abandonment in the 14th century.
What remains today are remarkably preserved palace sites, the interconnected settlement areas, and two preceding capital sites. This ensemble provides more than 1,000 rock art sites and an unparalleled glimpse into the evolution of social and political structures spanning 400 years.
3. The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (2007)
A Unique Fusion of Culture and Nature: Spanning 160,000 hectares in the rugged desert terrain of northwestern South Africa, the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape represents a unique cultural and natural heritage. It is collectively owned and managed by the community.
This site sustains the semi-nomadic pastoral lifestyle of the Nama people, reflecting seasonal practices that have endured for potentially over two millennia in southern Africa. Here, the Nama continue the tradition of crafting portable rush-mat houses known as “haru om” and engage in seasonal migrations, grazing activities, and the establishment of stock posts culture of the once-nomadic ǂKhomani San people and their innovative strategies for surviving harsh desert conditions.
Their distinct ethnobotanical knowledge, cultural rituals, and worldview, tied to the region’s geographical features, emerged. Over millennia, the ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape narrates the enduring lifestyle that shaped this area.
4. Robben Island (1999)
Triumph of Freedom Over Oppression: Robben Island’s significance lies in its grim history as a site of imprisonment and isolation for those deemed socially undesirable. With a history spanning the 17th to 20th centuries, the island served as a prison, hospital, and military base. Notably, it held political prisoners, including the renowned Nelson Mandela, and witnessed the victory of democracy and freedom over oppression and racism.
Surviving elements include 17th-century quarries, the tomb of Hadije Kramat (1755), 19th-century administrative buildings, a chapel, a parsonage, a small lighthouse, the lepers’ church, remnants of a leper colony, WWII military structures near the harbour, and the stark maximum security prison of the Apartheid era (from the 1960s).
5. ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape (2017)
An Ancient Desert Adaptation: Situated at the northern border adjoining Botswana and Namibia, the ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape encompasses the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. This expansive sandy terrain holds a record of human habitation spanning from the Stone Age to the present. It reflects the culture of the once-nomadic ǂKhomani San people and their innovative strategies for surviving harsh desert conditions.
Their distinct ethnobotanical knowledge, cultural rituals, and worldview, tied to the region’s geographical features, emerged. Over millennia, the ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape narrates the enduring lifestyle that shaped this area.
Natural
6. Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains (2018)
A Glimpse into Earth’s Ancient Past: The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains house an extraordinary record of some of Earth’s earliest and bestpreserved volcanic and sedimentary rocks, showcasing their diversity. These geological formations have been meticulously examined for over a century, unveiling critical insights into early Earth processes. These include the emergence of continents, the conditions on the surface 3.5 to 3.2 billion years ago, and the environment that fostered the dawn of life.
Shielded by extensive granite masses and buried beneath layers of sedimentary rock, this unbroken 340-million-year-long chronicle of Archaean lavas and sediments has remained largely untouched by both metamorphism and erosion.
The geosites offer among the oldest evidence of ocean and atmosphere chemistry, as well as the mechanisms behind continent formation – distinct characteristics of our planet. The property’s significance lies not only in the remarkably preserved geosites but also their abundance and close proximity. With numerous captivating geosites, the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains weave an incompletely explored yet coherent narrative about the origins of life on Earth.
7. Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (2004, 2015)
A Biodiversity Hotspot: The Cape Floral Region is celebrated globally for its exceptional plant diversity and unparalleled endemic species. Recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2004, it occupies the southwestern part of South Africa, a hotspot of terrestrial biodiversity. Among the world’s six Floral Kingdoms, it stands out as a unique phytogeographic unit, notable despite its small size.
Identified as a “hotspot,” it shelters diverse endangered plants and showcases vital ongoing ecological, biological, and evolutionary processes. Preserving this extraordinary collection species with more than 670 plant species and it is the only area in the world where three recognised biodiversity hotspots converge: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo and Maputo Plant-Togoland-Albany.
Even the arid inland portion of the reserve is rich in endemic species with at least 400 plant species.In terms of fauna, the reserve plays an important role in conserving two unique and threatened populations of Cape mountain zebra and Bontebok. Populations of leopards are also present in most of the mountainous areas. Threatened invertebrates include seven endemic species of the enigmatic beetle genus Colophon and 14 endemic butterfly species.
• Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve
South Africa’s inaugural biosphere reserve lies approximately 40 km from Cape Town within the Western Cape Province. Encompassing 103,629 hectares, over 80% of this area is characterised by mountainous terrain, including towering peaks, deep valleys, and gentle hills, alongside lower mountain slopes hosting apple farming and commercial pine plantations. The remaining portion encompasses a softly undulating coastal plain and a marine expanse spanning around 24,500 hectares. Along the coastline, rocky formations predominate, interspersed with sandy beaches and estuaries.
8. iSimangaliso Wetland Park(1999)
Thriving Ecological Variety and Biodiversity: The Zulu term “iSimangaliso” translates to ‘wonderful place’ or ‘land of miracles’. Situated along South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province coastline, iSimangaliso WetlandPark is classified as a UNESCO Ramsar site, acknowledging wetlands’ ecological roles and their value as economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational resources, including no less than four wetlands of international importance status:
• Kosi Bay
This area features four interconnected lakes with tidal influence, an estuarine channel, and extensive swamps. It is sustained by three permanent rivers and includes habitats like swamp and mangrove forest, reedbeds, dune systems, associated woodland, and coastal grassland. A diverse array of invertebrates, fish species, birds, mammals, butterflies, and plants, many of which are endemic, threatened, or endangered, thrive here.
• Lake Sibaya
As South Africa’s largest natural freshwater lake, Lake Sibaya is separated from the ocean by forested dunes. It encompasses swamp forests and wet grasslands and is home to various endangered or endemic species of reptiles, fish, birds, mammals, and plants. The lake supports an array of aquatic and terrestrial molluscs, zooplankton, and unique South African flora and fauna.
• St. Lucia System
Covering 155,000 hectares, this system comprises coastal dune forests, freshwater wetlands, grasslands, and estuarine lake systems. It is the largest of South Africa’s three estuarine coastal lake systems, serving as a vital nursery for juvenile marine fish and prawns. The area hosts significant populations of Nile crocodiles, hippopotamuses, White pelicans, and Pink-backed pelicans.
• Turtle Beaches/Coral Reefs of Tongaland
Spanning 155 kilometres of coastline, this marine reserve boasts sandy beaches alternating with rocky reefs containing coral formations on sandstone reefs within 3 nautical miles of the shore. This area is a prime nesting and breeding ground for the Endangered Loggerhead turtle and Vulnerable Leatherback turtle. The marine protected areas exhibit high fish species diversity, including the Coelacanth, a critically endangered living fossil discovered near Sodwana Bay.
9. Vredefort Dome (2005)
Earth’s Ancient Impact Site Revealing Geological Secrets: Located about 120 km southwest of Johannesburg, the Vredefort Dome represents a segment of a larger meteorite impact structure, or astrobleme. Dating back 2,023 million years, it holds the distinction of being Earth’s oldest known astrobleme. Spanning 190 km in radius, it also stands as the most expansive and deeply eroded.
The Vredefort Dome serves as a testament to the planet’s most significant singular energy release event, which triggered far-reaching global consequences, potentially influencing major evolutionary shifts as proposed by some researchers. This site offers crucial insights into Earth’s geological timeline and plays a pivotal role in unravelling the planet’s evolution.
Despite the impact sites’ historical significance, many have lost their traces due to surface geological activity. Vredefort remains the sole example providing a comprehensive geological profile of an astrobleme beneath the crater floor.
Mixed
10. Maloti-Drakensburg Park (2000, 2013)
A Transnational Haven of Breathtaking Natural Beauty: The Maloti-Drakensberg Park encompasses both the uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park in South Africa and the Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho. This exceptional transnational site boasts breathtaking natural allure, showcased in its towering basaltic buttresses, striking cutbacks, and gleaming sandstone ramparts. It also features visually captivating sculpted arches, caves, cliffs, pillars, and rock pools.
The park’s varied habitats provide a sanctuary for a wealth of endemic and globally significant plant species. Within its bounds, endangered creatures like the Cape vulture and the bearded vulture find refuge. Lesotho’s Sehlabathebe National Park shelters the critically endangered Maloti minnow, a fish species exclusively found in this region.
This remarkable natural reserve is home to numerous caves and rock-shelters adorned with Africa’s largest and most concentrated array of paintings south of the Sahara. These depictions offer a window into the spiritual life of the San people, who inhabited this area for over 4,000 years.
