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Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape

South Africa
Factors affecting the property in 2013*
  • Industrial areas
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Mining
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • Lack of a proper buffer zone;
  • Lack of a management plan;
  • Mining activities;
  • Development pressure.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2013
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2013**

November 2010 and January 2012: Joint World Heritage Centre/ ICOMOS reactive monitoring missions

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2013

The State Party submitted a state of conservation report on 29 January 2013. This report addressed the requests of the World Heritage Committee at its last session in relation to the impact of open-cast coal mining, the drafting of the management plan, protection, conservation and consolidation of archaeological sites and the clarification of the boundary and the buffer zone. It also reported on progress with the Trans-Frontier Conservation Area and on the proposed underground expansion of the De Beers Venetia Mine in the buffer zone.

a)  Impact of Open-cast Coal Mining

The World Heritage Committee requested the State Party to ensure that the open-cast coal mining that was resumed in November 2011 does not negatively impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property. In its report, the State Party reiterated that the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) carried out in 2011 concluded that the open-cast mining will have no direct impact on the OUV of the property although the mining activities will impact on sites in the buffer zone closely related to the Mapungubwe Kingdom. The proposed mitigation, as set out in the HIA, is for archaeological sites to be recorded before destruction.

The State Party reports that a professional archaeologist has been appointed to provide day to day monitoring of the mining area and to oversee all mitigation measures, including cases where archaeological sites may have to be rescued. The State Party is also working with stakeholders in ensuring that archaeological research is undertaken on sites outside the mining areas but located within the wider landscape. This is part of an offset programme funded by the mining company that is currently being finalised.

b)  Integrated Management Plan

The State Party has finalized the Integrated Management Plan for the property, and its draft was submitted to the World Heritage Centre on 29 January 2013, pending the final approval by the Minister in terms of the relevant national legislation.

c)  Protection, Conservation and Consolidation of Archaeological sites

The State Party reports that a project to rehabilitate and conserve major archaeological sites within the property has been completed. No details were provided in the submitted report.

d)  Clarifying Boundary and Buffer Zone

The State Party indicates that at the time of the inscription, although there was no buffer zone marked on the maps supplied, the area of the buffer zone was indicated in the text of the nomination dossier and this was said to include the Limpopo, Venetia Limpopo and Vhembe Reserves.

In the ICOMOS evaluation, it was stated that a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding had been drawn up with the objective of establishing a Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) and that this very extensive area in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe would, when established, constitute a very effective buffer zone. The nomination stated that on the South African side the TFCA would include the Mapungubwe nominated area and its buffer zone. A map provided to the evaluation mission indicated this area encircling the property.

In 2009, the State Party delineated and approved at national level a buffer zone that excluded land in private ownership to the east of the property – but this buffer zone has not been presented to the Committee for approval. The State Party now acknowledges that the existing buffer zone does not extend to cover all areas that are necessary for the effective protection of the property’s OUV. An assessment has enabled the State Party to map out a more effective buffer zone, informed by distribution of archaeological sites, view shed protection and catchment protection areas

The State Party reports that, in 2012, as a result of appointing a facilitator to speed up negotiations with the land owners, it is now in a position to inform the Committee that the owners of the properties making up the 7 km of land to the east of the property have agreed to be incorporated into the buffer zone. A legal agreement between the land-owners and the State Party is under development. The State Party will be submitting in due course an application for a minor boundary modification.

e)  Trans-Frontier Conservation Area

The State Party reports that the process of establishing a TFCA is almost completed waiting the signing of the treaty by the States Parties of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The three countries have already agreed on the final draft of the TFCA treaty at a Ministerial level.

f)  Proposed expansion of De Beers Venetia Mine & other mineral issues

The Venetia Diamond Mine lies within the buffer zone to the south of the property. It was officially opened in 1992. The mine has been operated as an open-cast mine within the footprint that existed at the time of inscription.

 

The State Party reports that an expansion of the mine is now proposed. This next phase involves an underground expansion and will take place within the existing footprint of the mine. No details are provided on any infra-structural implications of this expansion. The 2012 mission expressed concern at several large installations in the northern part of the property that provided the mine with water from the Limpopo River. The Management Plan mentions that as well as the rich coal and diamond resources, there are other strategic minerals on the borders of the park, and also a projected power station and a coal /gas field north of the Soutpansberg that will it is said ”change the character of the landscape in and around the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (MCL).” It also refers to the appraisal of the buffer zone as an opportunity to “facilitate the strategic engagement with the now numerous prospecting and mining applications in the area, especially around the need to negotiate advantageous off-set arrangements with prospective mining companies.” 

Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2013

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note the arrangements made for archaeological advice on measures to mitigate the impact of the open-cast coal mining on archaeological remains associated with the Mapungubwe Kingdom.

They recommend that the Committee welcome the progress made with the establishment of the TFCA and with extending the current buffer zone to the east of the property following the negotiations with private owners. As soon as a legal agreement with these owners has been agreed, a formal map of the overall buffer zone, together with details of its protection and management, needs to be presented to the World Heritage Committee for approval. In particular there needs to be clarification that no further mining activities will be allowed to take place in the buffer zone and this clarification needs to be reflected in the Management Plan, particularly in respect of ‘off-set arrangements’.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note the proposed underground expansion of the Venetia diamond mine and consider that further information needs to be provided on the associated infra-structural activities, such as roads and water supplies that will be needed for an expanded operation, in relation to their potential impact on the OUV.

 

The Advisory Bodies have reviewed the draft Management Plan and consider it a thorough, readable and professional plan for the World Heritage site and the contiguous National Park. The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies are of the view that in relation to mining activities in the buffer zone, the plan needs to have greater clarity in terms of the impact of mining on the property and of the benefits of ‘off-set arrangements’. The Management Plan also refers to the development a coal /gas field north of the Soutpansberg that will “change the character of the landscape in and around the MCL”. Further information on this project needs to be provided as soon as possible in relation to its potential impact on the OUV of the property.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2013
37 COM 7B.43
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (South Africa) (C 1099)

The World Heritage Committee,

1.  Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7B,

2.  Recalling Decision 36 COM 7B.48 , adopted at its 36th session (Saint-Petersburg, 2012),

3.  Acknowledges that archaeological advice will be provided to oversee the mitigation measures associated with the impact of open-cast coal mining on archaeological sites associated with the Mapungubwe Kingdom;

4.  Notes the progress made in establishing a buffer zone for the property that will cover land to the east of the boundary, and progress with the establishment of the Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA);

5.  Urges the State Party to submit a minor boundary modification for a buffer zone that clarifies the policies for protecting the property with respect to mining in the buffer zone and in relation to “off-set benefits”;

6.  Also notes the production of the detailed and comprehensive Management Plan, requests the State Party to provide copies of the final approved plan to the World Heritage Centre and also urges the State Party to implement the plan with immediate effect;

7.  Takes note of the proposed underground expansion of the De Beers Venetia Mine in the buffer zone and also requests the State Party to provide further details to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies on the infrastructure arrangements associated with this expansion, in particular for transport and water supplies, and to provide appropriate Heritage Impact Assessments before any irreversible commitments are made;

8.  Commends the State Party for not authorizing mining projects in World Heritage properties;

9.  Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2016 , an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016.

Draft Decision:  37 COM 7B.43

The World Heritage Committee,

1.  Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7B,

2.  Recalling Decision 36 COM 7B.48, adopted at its 36th session (Saint-Petersburg, 2012),

3.  Acknowledges that archaeological advice will be provided to oversee the mitigation measures associated with the impact of open-cast coal mining on archaeological sites associated with the Mapungubwe Kingdom;

4.  Notes the progress made in establishing a buffer zone for the property that will cover land to the east of the boundary, and progress with the establishment of the Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA);

5.  Urges the State Party to submit a minor boundary modification for a buffer zone that clarifies the policies for protecting the property with respect to mining in the buffer zone and in relation to “off-set benefits”;

6.  Also notes the production of the detailed and comprehensive Management Plan, requests the State Party to provide copies of the final approved plan to the World Heritage Centre and also urges the State Party to implement the plan with immediate effect;

7.  Takes note of the proposed underground expansion of the De Beers Venetia Mine in the buffer zone and also requests the State Party to provide further details to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies on the infrastructure arrangements associated with this expansion, in particular for transport and water supplies, and to provide appropriate Heritage Impact Assessments before any irreversible commitments are made;

8.  Notes with concern the proposals for the development a coal/gas field north of the Soutpansberg, which it is stated will “change the character of the landscape in and around the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (MCL)”, and in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and further requests the State Party to provide, as soon as possible, an Environmental Impact Assessment and a Heritage Impact Assessment to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before irreversible commitments are made;

9.  Reiterates past decisions regarding gas exploration and exploitation in World Heritage properties as well as the International Council on Mining and Metals’ (ICMM) Position Statement on Mining and Protected Areas to “not explore or mine in World Heritage properties”, and therefore requests furthermore the State Party to ban any development of the coal/gas field in the property and to halt any development of the coal/gas field in the buffer zone until a Heritage Impact Assessment has been undertaken and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;

10.  Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2014, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 38th session in 2014.

 

Report year: 2013
South Africa
Date of Inscription: 2003
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iii)(iv)(v)
Documents examined by the Committee
arrow_circle_right 37COM (2013)
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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