South Africa eyes another Unesco prize
The traditional lands of the San, in the Northern Cape, hope to soon join the list of World Heritage treasures
South Africa may be about to add a ninth World Heritage site to its official list of cherished attractions.
The !Xam Khomani Heartland in the Northern Cape is among 35 contenders forrecognition by Unesco as a place of “outstanding universal value”.
According to the description submitted by the government, the area south of Upingtonwas home to the now-vanished !Xam, a clan of the San, for thousands of years.
The area north of Upington is still home to the $Khomani, now thought to be the last surviving indigenous San community in South Africa.
Together, the two regions make for a single nomination .
There are currently 1,052 places on Unesco's list of the world's most preservation-worthy places, which range from natural wonders to architectural feats.
The World Heritage Committee will meet in Krakow, Poland, on July 2 to decide.
A few other spots in Africa are also being considered. The W Regional Park, Arly National Park and Pendjari Complex stretch across almost 52,000 square kilometres in Benin, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.
Together, they make up an area of savannah known for having some of the last populations of big game in West Africa, including West African lions and buffalo...
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