PRESENTATION

PRESENTATION

CRADLE OF HUMANKINDWORLD HERITAGE SITE

(The Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs)

Presentation to PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

01 APRIL 2003

Context and background

South Africa signed the World Heritage Convention in 1997

The Cradle of Humankind was listed in December 1999 along with Robben Island and Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park. Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg is the latest South African WHS to be declared

World Heritage Convention Act passed in December 1999 - set up management authorities & plans: DACEL management authority at this time


High community expectations after listing. High political expectations.


Almost all of the site is on privately owned land (700 landowners) Tenure security Economic development (tourism industry, job creation) Conservation of the area

How to develop the whole site for majority benefit Infrastructure and services improvements Negotiations with University of the Witwatersrand

Now Two Provinces & Four Local Authorities Soon to become one DMA under the West Rand District Municipality. There appears to be some issue at present regarding municipal

“ownership” of the site. This has been clarified and is hopefully soon to be resolved.

Competing (and often individualist) interests.

Mostly pristine environment - ecologically & visually

Dolomites constitute a natural limitation on development

Located in important grass biome - rare Bankenveld grasslands

Biodiversity second to the fynbos


47 000ha of site, spanning two provinces (approximately 10% in North West Province)

Budget of R184m for infrastructure costs for the development of the site as a whole.

Budget of R163m for the development of a complex of Interpretive facilities. Donor funding for this is presently being sought. Gauteng Government is donor of last resort.

Mohale’s Gate - 100 ha of Land donated by Standard Bank, to be used for the construction of the Interpretation Centre.

Uniqueness The subject of human origins

is one of global interest. Not only are there questions of how, when, and where we evolved in the remote past but equally there are those which address the roots of our current ethnic diversity. All of these questions require fossil evidence to be answered. They need material collected from different habitats and samples from many countries.

Vision

To achieve an acceptable balance in the WHS between: the conservation of cultural and natural resources; access; scientific research and education; the interests of those living and working in the area and its use for the economic and social benefit of the population at

large

Key challenges: balancing interests sharing benefits

To establish the WHS as a centre of human development.

Strategy

To preserve a palaeo-anthropological site of unique international significance

To showcase Africa, and specifically, Southern Africa as the source of human origins and thus to add value to the African Renaissance movement and the New Partnership for African Development

To promote a sense of provincial, national and continental pride in our origins and heritage

To establish an institution to mobilise international and domestic interest and resources for the protection and development of the site as the showcase site of the origins and story of humanity

To provide capital investment that will allow for the leveraging of private investment in the area

To contribute a key destination to tourism destinations in Gauteng and South Africa

To add value to local development, tourism and job creation strategies

Financial Sustainability & Investment

SustainabilityIndependence from public subsidiesEconomic viability and self sufficiency

Income and financial return Community benefitsScientific researchConservation

Financial sustainability & Investment

Diverse funding and partnerships

Public and private sourcesSite-generated incomeFoundation and donor support

Institutional and business plan

Establishment of a Management AuthorityEstablishment of a Charitable Trust, likely

to be a Public Benefit OrganisationEstablishment of an Operational Entity

Management Authority

Planning, regulatory and oversight responsibilities as provided for in Section 8 of the World Heritage Site Act

Co-ordinating responsibility between various government agencies

COH Charitable Trust / PBO

Income generation Fundraising for social good purposes Income generation through a variety of business, tourism and

educational facilities Income disbursement

Operating, maintenance and capital replacement costs Disbursements for community benefits, scientific research and

conservation efforts Non profit tax status Appointed Board of Directors

Operational entity

The PBO will enter into a long-term concession agreement with a selected partner. The consortium would take substantial business risk for the design, construction, exhibition installation and operation of the facilities, and would pay a concession fee to the PBO for the opportunity.

Tourism strategy

Visitor vision: High quality palaeo-anthropological, cultural and eco-tourism Protection of the ecological integrity of the area Development of tourist nodes in identified low or moderate

intensity use zones Provision of appropriate signage, facilities and infrastructure

Requirements for visitor management: Site protection Provision of a quality tourist experience without visitor

saturation Improved access to the site Improved infrastructure, for transportation in particular

Tourism strategy

Must see for international visitors Must do for repeat visits for domestic tourism catchment Must do for school visits Unique destination of choice for conferencing, eventing and

banqueting Niche destination for WHS tourists Niche destination for mid-interest and special interest

tourism

Tourism development plan

Network of Interpretive Facilities / Interpretation Centre Complex Mohales Gate – Major, world class Interpretation Centre Sterkfontein – Primary Hominid orientation centre

Orientation Centres and visitor information points with diverse tourism offerings to be developed as PPPs at various points around the site.

Zonation Schedule

The following zones apply, in order of sensitivity: Palaeontological Zone – relating primarily to the existing

fossil sites and environs. Ridges and Wetland Zone – identified for their ecological

and visual sensitivity. Very low Intensity Use Zone – Central catchment area,

identified as an area of high conservation value e.g. near Bankenveld.

Low Intensity Use Zone – contains the sensitive fossil sites, but has been partially modified through subdivision.

Moderate Intensity Use Zone – highly subdivided zone, where the majority of existing uses are located.

Corridor Zone – aimed at controlling land uses along the main routes through the WHS.

Medium term outlook

Financial plan assumes visitor demand of 300 000pa New information assumes visitor demand of 1 000 000pa

Planning progress

1999 / 2000 Stakeholder identification and participation & majority in-principle

support. Development of proposed plans The World Heritage Listing of the Site

2000 / 2001 Appointment and orientation of staff (September 2000) Appointment of consultants for Masterplanning process Extensive public consultation

2001 /2002 Production of masterplan Production of business plan Design and implementation plan for the Interpretation Centre Complex Tender procedures – bids received Ongoing negotiations with the University of the Witwatersrand.

Master plan reports completed Integrated Report for the Development and Management of the Cradle of

Humankind World Heritage Site Interpretation Network Masterplan Tourism analysis Visitor survey Tourism master plan Infrastructure master plan Land use master plan Zonation master plan Specialist study on socio economic context Geohydrology status quo EIA guidelines Best Environmental Practice Guidelines Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Financial Analysis and Economic Benefit Report

Financial model Conference centre operating model

Additional outputs

Policy and Manual on Tenure Security Draft plans for Community Benefits Initial scoping for a “Skills Development and Employment”

programme Tender process for Cultural Resource Management Plans Development of Branding and Marketing opportunities Inter-governmental Housing Task Team set up Cultural Resource Management plans for fossil sites

Progress with operational priorities: 2002/3

Commencement with Stakeholder participation & communication Community benefits and training program Implement World Heritage Convention Act Environment & Conservation activities Planning and initiation of WHS Interpretation Center Complex Upgrades to certain roads Signage (tourism) Marketing initiatives e.g. ads in newspapers, distribution of

posters to all schools Field Guide Fire safety regime Management plans for each fossil site.

Progress with operational priorities: 2002/3 cont

WSSD Development of Marketing and Branding opportunities Initial exploration of orientation centre possibilities Fundraising Staff expansion Establishment of Management Authority Setting up of secondary offices in Muldersdrift Sale of Merchandise and cost recovery Fossil site management plans and agreements with

landowners

Financial Sustainability & investment for ICC

Mohale’s Gate Interpretation Centre Ownership by Gauteng Provincial Government and nominal

rental to the Charitable Trust / PBO Sterkfontein Orientation Centre

Ownership by Wits and nominal rental to the Charitable Trust / PBO and disbursement of grants to the Scientific Trust;

It is not envisaged that DACEL or WITS will be involved in the day-to-day management or operations of the specific interpretive facilities.

Tender process for the ICC

Call for Expressions of Interest, published – September 2001 Request for Qualifications published - October 2001 Briefing sessions held 17 and 29 October 2001 Closure for submissions 14 November 2001 Adjudication process 19 November 2001 4 consortia shortlisted to bid for the Request for Proposals (RFP) RFP issued 15 March 2002 Pre proposal meeting held 09 April 2002 Proposals received 14 June 2002 Initial scanning of proposals reveals that all four of them have

material still necessary for completion. Furneaux Stewart GAPP appointed as preferred bidder. Target date for finalisation of contract negotiations for Mohale’s

Gate and Sterkfontein Sites April 2003.

Community Benefits programmes

Investment in skills development for the growth of the tourism industry including: Resource Management training Tourism Service Industry training Tour Guide training Skills training in infrastructive building and maintenance

Establishment of an incentives program to leverage and reward private sector investment and local people using low interest and/or deferred payment schemes Land and housing opportunities Management Advisory Services Business Opportunities Assistance

Community benefits Community benefits scheme to include:

Community Equity Partnership (CEP) to allow residents in the area to benefit economically through an equity share in the major interpretation centre (with equity for a tertiary institution as well).

Land and housing resources (target 750 houses in 1st three years) Environmental Management Services Site facility improvement assistance SMME training support & financing assistance Resource management training and education Local employment preference policy linked to incentives Public sector led employment impacts (IC forecasts 1200 temp and

600 perm jobs) but many other spin off jobs created Tourism Service Industry training Contracts for local services Research grants Skills Development and Employment programme.

Marketing and Tourism development

Development of several high profile annual events: Cycle Race Marathon Annual Cradle Lecture Book development Music and cultural event development

Sustained advertising Media development – videos, national competitions Development of Orientations Centres as PPPs

Documents

PRESENTATION