SOUTH AFRICA GETS 3 MORE WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Two sites in the Western Cape and one site in KwaZulu-Natal have now been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

The announcement was made at the 46-hour session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

The three sites formed part of the one big South African nomination titled ‘The emergency of modern human behaviour: The Pleistocene occupation sites of South Africa’.

According to IOL, the three sites are:

·        Diepkloof Rock Shelters close to Elands Bay in the Western Cape.

·        Pinnacle Point Site Complex in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.

·        Sibhudu Cave in KwaDukuza in KwaZulu-Natal.

Ricardo Mckenzie, the Western Cape Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport praised our ancestors.

“The exceptional preservation of these sites, amidst the challenges of climate change and rising sea levels stand as testaments to our ancestors’ resilience, ingenuity, and adaption to environmental changes.”

Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in South Africa include Robben Island, the Cradle of Humankind, the Vredefort impact structure, and the Drakensberg.

In South Africa, there are a total of eight sites acknowledged by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

Image credit: SA People