SA’s perfect 10 heritage sites

As another local natural wonder is added to the World Heritage list we must again recognise that Mzansi really is a beautiful place

SOUTH AFRICA, you’re a perfect 10! We always knew it – and now the rest of the world does too. Mpumalanga’s Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains, a magnificent range covering a vast area of about 7 200km2, recently joined the prestigious list of World Heritage sites, thereby bringing the country’s tally to an impressive 10.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) announced the inclusion at a meeting in Bahrain this month – and it means SA now has the most World Heritage sites in all of Africa.

The inclusion of the mountain range also means SA can access funds from the World Heritage Fund to increase conservation of and tourism to the area.

To be accepted as a heritage site, a country has to meet strict criteria and show how the site will be preserved.

“Many people in South Africa don’t know we have such a beautiful site with a rock formation dating back three billion years,” Sikhumbuzo Kholwane, Mpumalanga’s MEC for tourism, told Times Live news website. “Sometimes we talk about tourism as if it’s made for international people only. We don’t know our own country. People from outside know our country better than we do.”

With that in mind, here’s more about our beautiful country’s 10 World Heritage sites.