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Robben Island

South Africa
Factors affecting the property in 2007*
  • Human resources
  • Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Other Threats:

    a) Lack of appropriate conservation of the built heritageb) Lack of integration of natural values in management of site

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Visitor pressure;

b) Lack of comprehensive Conservation Management Plan;

c) Lack of specific annual plans of operation;

d) Lack of human resources;

e) Difficulties with operational aspects of maintenance and conservation implementation including lack of preventive maintenance funding and programming;

f) Lack of appropriate conservation of the built heritage;

g) Lack of proactive management of tourism pressure;

h) Lack of integration of natural values in management of site.

International Assistance: requests for the property until 2007
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2007**

2004, ICOMOS/ICCROM/IUCN mission; 2005, ICOMOS/IUCN mission 

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2007

At its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006), the Committee regretted that the recommendations of the 2004 ICOMOS/ICCROM/IUCN joint mission had not yet been fully implemented and that the State Party support necessary to ensure their fulfilment had been still lacking. The Committee also recommended that the State Party work closely with the Advisory Bodies and Robben Island Management Authority (RIM) to develop an action plan to address priority management issues already established for the property;

At the end of January 2007 the State Party submitted a series of documents to the World Heritage Centre which complied with most of the Committee’s requirements. The Management Plan has the following objectives: retain the significance of the property; gather and curate the heritage resources; provide excellence in heritage management; manage the visitor experience; communicate and interpret heritage values; institute appropriate governance; strengthen institutional capacity; provide necessary staffing and infrastructure; ensure financial sustainability; improve public awareness; and promote the World Heritage property. The Action Plan proposed in the Management Plan outlines the activities that will be implemented to achieve these objectives.

After a careful examination of the Management Plan, the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS consider that the document produced is comprehensive and well designed, covering the main components of the property, including priority activities for the prison, the Sobukwe interpretive centre complex, cemeteries, quarries and natural heritage. The Robben Island Museum has involved a wide range of stakeholders in the formulation of the Management Plan, and they should continue to play an important participatory role. 

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2007
31 COM 7B.53
Robben Island (South Africa)

The World Heritage Committee,

1.       Having examined Document WHC-07/31.COM/7B,

2.       Recalling Decision 30 COM 7A.3, adopted at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006),

3.       Notes that the State Party has made substantial efforts in complying effectively with all its requests, particularly in producing a comprehensive and integrated management plan, and  encourages it to initiate without further delay activities leading to its implementation;

4.       Requests the State Party to submit, by 1 February 2009, a detailed progress report taking into account the proposals of the 2004 mission, for examination by the Committee at its 33rd session in 2009.

Draft Decision: 31 COM 7B.53

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-07/31.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 30 COM 7A.3, adopted at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006),

3. Notes that the State Party has made substantial efforts in complying effectively with all its requests, particularly in producing a comprehensive and integrated management plan, and  encourages it to initiate without further delay activities leading to its implementation;

4. Requests the State Party to submit, by 1 February 2009, a detailed progress report taking into account the proposals of the 2004 mission, for examination by the Committee at its 33rd session in 2009.

Report year: 2007
South Africa
Date of Inscription: 1999
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (iii)(vi)
Documents examined by the Committee
arrow_circle_right 31COM (2007)
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.


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