Call to add Barberton mountains to UN list
SOUTH Africa hopes the Barberton mountains will be added to the global list of UN World Heritage Sites this weekend.
The 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee will decide on 31 applications for sites to be given heritage status.
The annual conference of the committee is being held in Bahrain‚ where Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa is representing South Africa.
There are 1 037 World Heritage sites around the world and South Africa already has nine‚ including Robben Island‚ the Cape Floral Kingdom (fynbos) and the Cradle of Humankind.
Sites that are deemed World Heritage Sites are recognised as having global historical or environmental significance‚ may signify a phenomenal achievement of humanity‚ or reveal ancient civilisations. The recognition allows the country to access funds for conservation from the World Heritage Fund and may increase tourism to the area.
The mountains in Mpumalanga‚ also known as the Makhonjwa Mountains‚ are thought to be one of the oldest sites on Earth‚ with its volcanic rocks estimated to be between 3.2 and 3.6 billion years old.
The mountains are also believed to contain the oldest signs of life‚ with a micro fossil of bacteria discovered there that is estimated to be 3.1 billion years old.
A committee of people from 21 countries will this weekend vote on which sites make the cut.
Mthwetha chaired a meeting at the global event in Bahrain‚ where he asked senior African leaders to ensure the continent is better represented on the World Heritage list.
Mthethwa said: “Africa has less than 9% of the sites inscribed on the World Heritage List.”
He called on African leaders to ensure that, by 2020‚ more sites from the continent are ready to be nominated for world heritage status.