The National Heritage Council of South Africa (NHC) as the coordinator of the World Heritage Enlistment of the selected Liberation Heritage Sites, will consult and engage with key stakeholders on the intention to enlist the sites on the World Heritage register of UNESCO. This is the continuation of the consultation effort that began in 2015, which is a critical phase to preserve the heritage of the South African liberation struggle that played out through historical events at sites that became significant and involved various communities. This is also a requirement of cardinal importance by the state party (South Africa) by the Department of Environmental Affairs working together with our shareholder, the Department of Arts and Culture.
 
The consultations are taking place from 14 December 2018 to 10 January 2019. The public and stakeholders affected by this process as enlisted below are invited to make direct submissions, comments and thus register themselves as key stakeholders or raise by sending emails to liberation@nhc.org.za not later than 10 January 2019. Enquiries can also be directed to the same email address.
 
The purpose of the consultations is to prepare the ten selected sites for consideration to become World Heritage Sites intended to be tabled at the World Heritage Committee meeting in 2020 for consideration. Successful consideration of the sites will lead to inscription on to the World Heritage list under the auspices of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.
 
The NHC will process the inputs from all stakeholders and factor them into the management plans of the ten sites which will be included in the nomination Dossier (a comprehensive proposal compiled according to the UNESCO requirements and World Heritage Convention).

The ten selected sites are:

• Wesleyan Church, Waaihoek, Mangaung
• 16 June 1976, Orlando West, Soweto
• Constitution Hill, Hillbrow, Johannesburg
• Fort Hare University, Alice
• Lilliesleaf, Rivonia, Johannesburg
• Mqhekezweni Great Place, Eastern Cape
• Ohlange, Inanda, Durban
• Sharpeville Massacre, Vereeniging
• Union Buildings, Meintjieskop, Pretoria
• Walter Sisulu Square, Kliptown, Soweto

 Members of the communities affected are invited to be part of these engagements, as the process directly affects them. It is hoped that over and above the preservation of this important liberation heritage, these sites will open opportunities for sustainable developmental and long term conservation of this testimony to Liberation and Human Rights.
 
Contact: Danny Goulkan (Communications Manager), 012 348 1663/ 072 952 2260/ danny@nhc.org.za

For interview arrangements please contact Linda Shilakwe, 012 348 1663/ 082 657 7064/ danny@nhc.org.za