SOUTH Africa now has a fourth World Heritage Site following the inscription of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park by the parties to the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage meeting in Cairns, Australia, yesterday.
The Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mohammed Valli Moosa, said that the inscription as a "mixed" natural and cultural site was international recognition of the universal significance of South Africa's natural and cultural heritage.
"We can be proud that South Africa is the 23rd mixed site to be inscribed by the Convention as it underpins the unique cultural and natural heritage of our country," he said.
KZN Wildlife and the KZN Nature Conservation Board are naturally delighted that the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park has been awarded World Heritage Site status.
"This means that the unique combination of outstanding landscape and one of the world's greatest collections of rock art are given international standing and recognition," said KZN Wildlife ceo, Dr George Hughes.
"Apart from the added security this status provides, we believe that a really great benefit will be added to tourism in the region - and that will benefit our local communities immensely."
(Elizabeth Sheridan)
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