The Karst System of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site The South African Karst Working Group KV 241/10 TTHHEE KKAARRSSTT SSYYSSTTEEMM OOFF TTHHEE CCRRAADDLLEE OOFF HHUUMMAANNKKIINNDD WWOORRLLDD HHEERRIITTAAGGEE SSIITTEE A COLLECTION OF 13 ISSUE PAPERS BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN KARST WORKING GROUP W RC REPORT N O. KV 24 1/1 0 ISBN 97 8 -1- 77 00 5- 969 -6 MAY 20 1 0 KARST SYSTEM OF THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND WORLD HERITAGE SITE A V A I L A B L E F R O M W A T E R R E S E A R C H C O M M I S S I O N P R I V A T E B A G X 0 3 G E Z I N A 0 0 3 1 S O U T H A F R I C A [email protected] The publication of this report emanates from a consultancy entitled The Karst System of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (WRC Consultancy K8/624). D I S C L A I M E R T H I S P U B L I C A T I O N H A S B E E N R E V I E W E D B Y T H E W A T E R R E S E A R C H C O M M I S S I O N ( W R C ) A N D A P P R O V E D F O R P U B L I C A T I O N . A P P R O V A L D O E S N O T S I G N I F Y T H A T T H E C O N T E N T S N E C E S S A R I L Y R E F L E C T T H E V I E W S A N D P O L I C I E S O F T H E W R C , N O R D O E S M E N T I O N O F T R A D E N A M E S O R C O M M E R C I A L P R O D U C T S C O N S T I T U T E E N D O R S E M E N T O R R E C O M M E N D A T I O N F O R U S E . FOREWORD The following document is intended to be a summary of the current circumstances surrounding the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COH WHS) and the underlying karst system. The COH WHS is located in the Gauteng and North West Provinces of South Africa, and is listed as a world heritage site with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as the Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs. The site is renowned for its unparalleled collection of prehistoric hominid and animal fossils, as well as a multitude of prehistoric tools. In addition to its palaeontological and archaeological significance, the COH WHS also lies on top of a vast karst system which is vital to the region’s water supply and forms part of a unique ecosystem housing a variety of organisms. In more recent years, it has become apparent that the karst system of the COH WHS is becoming increasingly threatened by a multitude of factors such as mining, agriculture, tourism, and increased urbanisation of the area. In line with its mission for a just world that values and conserves nature, the IUCN – South Africa Office is acting as the secretariat to assist in this project. This publication is the product of the Karst Working Group (KWG) which functions under the auspices of the IUCN - SA Office. The KWG consists of experts in cave and karst management which are affiliated to national, provincial and local government agencies, public and public funded institutions, academics from a number of prominent South African universities, and members from non-governmental organisations, particularly cave and bat organisations. It is hoped that this publication will act as a platform for future research and projects that will lead to the protection of the COH WHS and the underlying karst system, which hold great cultural, economic and environmental value. The publication was co- funded by the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site Management Authority (COH WHS MA). The WRC funded all the water related papers. The papers presented in this booklet were completed over a period of two years from 2005 to 2006. The socio-political landscape has changed since then particularly in terms of changing legislation and the government department mandated to manage the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. The decision to publish this information in 2010 is based on the reality that most of the technical information and environmental issues are still i KARST SYSTEM OF THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND WORLD HERITAGE SITE relevant. This publication provides, therefore, not only public record of Karst issues but adds to the growing body of knowledge on Karst systems and the management thereof in South Africa, and more specifically, the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COH WHS). The following explanation of the existing legislation and Departmental responsibilities has been added to avoid reader confusion. The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is constituted in terms of the World Heritage Convention Act (WHC), Act 49 of 1999. Because of its status as a World Heritage Site it is managed according to the prescriptions of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, Act 57 of 2003 and the Regulations for the Proper Administration of Special Nature Reserves, National Parks and World Heritage Sites. Both these Acts make provision for the establishment of an Authority whose responsibility it will be to manage the site. The WHC Act makes provision for an Authority that is responsible for the management of the site. This function has been delegated by the National Minister for Environment (previously the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism) to the MEC of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (DED), earlier the Department of Finance and Economic Development. The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site Management Authority (MA) is established specifically to manage the COH WHS. The site is managed according to sustainable environmental practices and is ably assisted in this regard by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), formally the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs (DACEL) and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE). ii KARST SYSTEM OF THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND WORLD HERITAGE SITE Some National Government departments were restructured in 2009; the table below shows the changes. New departments were created, others merged and some were split. The Departments of Water and Environment are now two separate departments, reporting to a single Minister. Current Departments Previously / was part of New Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Agriculture Water Affairs and Forestry Arts and Culture New Basic Education Education Communications Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Provincial and Local Government Correctional Services New Defence and Military Veterans Defence New Economic Development Finance New Energy Minerals and Energy New Environmental Affairs Environmental Affairs and Tourism Health New Higher Education and Training Education Home Affairs New Human Settlements Housing New International Relations and Cooperation Foreign Affairs Justice and Constitutional Development Labour New Mineral Resources Minerals and Energy New Police Safety and Security Public Enterprises Public Service and Administration Public Works New Rural Development and Land Reform Land Affairs Science and Technology Social Development Sport and Recreation New Tourism Environmental Affairs and Tourism Trade and Industry Transport New Water Affairs Water Affairs and Forestry New Women, Children and People with Disabilities iii KARST SYSTEM OF THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND WORLD HERITAGE SITE iv KARST SYSTEM OF THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND WORLD HERITAGE SITE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The production of this publication has its origins in the formation of the IUCN (South African) – Karst Working Group (KWG). The importance and sensitivity of karst environments has been recognised for some time now and to this end, an International IUCN (Karst Working Group) was established some time ago to facilitate awareness and prudent management of such environments. Karst environments form part of the South African geological record and the majority of these are associated with the Transvaal Supergroup rocks. Also associated with these rocks are cave deposits containing world renowned palaeontolgical/palaeo- anthropological deposits including the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COH WHS). With the aforementioned in mind, various concerned individuals from various backgrounds considered it appropriate to establish a local (South African) group with similar objectives of the IUCN International Karst Working Group. A “brainstorming session” was held at the IUCN offices in Pretoria on the 11th February 2004 at which the following individuals were present : Saliem Fakir, Michael Raimondo and Melissa Fourie (all from the SA IUCN Office), Sue Taylor and Melinda Swift (from DACEL the Management Authority for the COH WHS) Lientjie Cohen (Mpumalanga Parks Board), Mike Buchanan (Cave Research Organisation of SA, Chairman and speleologist), Murray Macgregor (SAC&ES- Earth and Natural Scientist and Precambrian Palaeontologist), Neil Norquoy (Wild Cave Adventures), Garfield Krige (African Environmental Development and Water Technologist) and Nigel Fernsby (Bat Specialist). Resultant from the aforementioned meeting the South African IUCN - Karst Working Group (hereafter referred to as the KWG) developed. The IUCN then under the management of Saliem Fakir kindly facilitated the logistics of establishing the KWG and thanks are due to all those mentioned above involved in this process.