PRESENTATION

1. PRESENTATION CRADLE OF HUMANKIND WORLD HERITAGE SITE (The Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs) Presentation to PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE 01 APRIL 2003

2. 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

3. Context and background • High community expectations after listing. • High political expectations.

4. Context and background • 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.

5. 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

6. Context and background • 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.

7. 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. Uniqueness

8. 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.

9. 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

10. Financial Sustainability & Investment • Sustainability • Independence from public subsidies • Economic viability and self sufficiency • Income and financial return • Community benefits • Scientific research • Conservation

11. Financial sustainability & Investment • Diverse funding and partnerships • Public and private sources • Site-generated income • Foundation and donor support

12. Institutional and business plan • Establishment of a Management Authority • Establishment of a Charitable Trust, likely to be a Public Benefit Organisation • Establishment of an Operational Entity

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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.

21. Medium term outlook • Financial plan assumes visitor demand of 300 000pa • New information assumes visitor demand of 1 000 000pa

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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.

26. 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

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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

30. 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.

31. 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