Decision 42 COM 7B.49

Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (South Africa) (C 1099bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.19, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Commends the State Party on its efforts to ensure effective monitoring of the two existing mines, Vele Colliery and Venetia, in the vicinity of the property;
4. Welcomes the proposed development of a new integrated management plan, to be completed in 2018 and submitted to the World Heritage Centre;
5. Acknowledges the State Party’s assurance that it has fully resolved the issues raised by the World Heritage Committee, that the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is well maintained and monitored, and that the property faces no imminent threats, but notes that the State Party report included limited information on the monitoring and conservation of the property since the adoption of Decision 40 COM 7B.19 in 2016 to confirm its good state of conservation;
6. Also acknowledges the submission of the 2013 report on rehabilitation and stabilization work of the archaeological sites, and the 2016 report that mentions further work on K2, but notes that no details have been provided that set out follow-up activities to these reports, and requests the State Party to provide a detailed report of archaeological conservation and monitoring work for all sites undertaken since the 2012 Reactive Monitoring mission, together with an illustrated assessment of the current state of conservation of the sites;
7. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2019, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property, including detailed up-to-date information on the monitoring and conservation of the property, including recent data on available conservation indicators and implementation of the property’s management plan, and on the implementation of the above, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies.