Indawo Yephasi Yelifa
Ngonyaka ka-1999, nanyana itlolwe bona yi-site number 915 kuwe, ekuthomeni gade ihlanganisa amarholo ayi-20 endaweni amahecta ayi-47 000 (Kanye namanye amahecta ayi-80 000 wenarha engezelelweko). Inarha le iqale amarhole ase-Sterkfontein, Kroomdraai kanye ne-Swartkrans, ezisendaweni emakhilomitha ayi-45 epumalanga yeJwanisbhege. Akukavamisi bona indawo yamagugu yephasi kukobana indawo ye-Cradle enengi isaphethwe babantu abajameleko, kodwana irhole le-Sterkfontein liphethwe yiJunivesithi ye-Witwatersrand, ngemva kokobana inarha leyo yadonethiwa banikazi bayo.
Kwanje abahlali abanengi berhawudeni sele bawajwayele amarholo we-Sterkfontein ngebanga lokobana baya khulu bazikhipha nenkolo nanyana abanengi bazizela begodu kuyarara bona i-the Cradle sele idose abantu abanengi bomphakathi we-UNESCO ebebangatjengisi imizwa yabo.
Bakarwe Yini?
Njengombana amalunga wekomidi yabosiyazi be-ICOMOS (ekulibizo elifitjhani elijamele i-International Council of Monuments and Sites) sele athole ekuhloleni kwabo bona koke lokhu bekwanele ama-criteria amabili kwamahlanu wobujamo bephasi benarha yelifa: Njengosiyazi wekomidi le-ICOMOS elijamele bona (International Council of Monuments and Sites) elitholwe lokha nabahlolako: Iwomeli labantu besikhathi sanje ama-(Homo sapiens) babezimu babo. Sele bathule amafosili we-hominid aregileko, amadala khulu asuka eminyakeni eyi-3.5 million eyadlulako Kanye namathulusi wabo namafosili we-fauna. Irhubhululo elenziwe eminyakeni eyu-60 eyadlulako lidlale indima eqakathekileko ekuthuleni i-Africa njenge-the cradle of mankind. Irhonakalo yezinye izinto ezinengi ezisengatholakala likhulu.
Ukubabofakazi besiko lesintu eliphilako nanyana eliqimeleko. Ukuba sibonelo esihle somhlobo womakho, nanyana ithekhunoloji ekhombisa iingaba zomlando wabantu. Sithokoza ilisti ye-UNESCO, indawo le sele ibelethwe ngabutjha. Isenta yemvakatjhi eserholweni le-Sterkfontein sele ithuthukisiwe, begodu sele inevikili lokudlela, imnyuzamu nezokuvakatjha ezincono lokha nawuserholweni. Abaphathi balo sele basebenzise imali engane R300 Million bakha indawo yemvakatjhi yezoburhwari, ebizwa bona seMaropeng, engasi kude nerholweli. Yindawo ehle khulu, lapha iimvakatjhi zingathola nanyana zifunde nge-evolution lokha zibukela i-the Cradle. Kodwana into ekarisako nge-Cradle kukobana isese yindawo esebenzako begodu iimfihlo ezinengi zakade zisabulungwe ngaphasi kwehlabathi zilindele ukutholwa. Abososayensi abanengi, palaeoantropist Kanye nama-archaeologist bahlala bemba indawo le, bathole iinsalela zamafosili (zabantu nezenlwane) ezingezelela ukuzwisisa kwethu ngemvelaphi yabantu ephasini.
Ukungezelelwa kwe-the Cradle Extended
Ngonyaka ka-2005, i-Cradle of Humankind’kwabaywa bona ingezelele ifaka iindawo ezimbili ezihlangene nendawo ye-Sterkfontein. Iindawezi yi-gwari le-Taung, eduze kwe-Kimberley, kanye ne-Makapangat eduze kwe-Polokwane. Zombili indawezi zimumethe umhlobo munye welitje ofana newe-Sterkfontein ohlukaniswa njengencenye (ye-Transvaal Supergroup), zombili zimumethe iinsalela zefosili yabantu nayenlwane ekhe zahlala endaweni eminyakeni eyi-3 Million kanye nehafu eyandlulako.
Mhlamunye into ehle nge-Cradle of Humankind kukobana yamenzezelwa njengendawo yamagugu yephasi lokhu kwakatelela ababusi bona bayitlhogomele baqiniseke bona indawo leyo ilawulwa kuhle. Isibonelo sele kwenziwe imithetho ezokuvikela ubuhle bemvelo bendawo lokha nayithuthukiswako.
Kudalwa amathuwa womsebenzi wezakhamuzi, babakhela nezindlu ukuze izakhambuzi zendawo leyo zizokuthola inzuzo kokuza kwemvakatjhi endaweni leya. Kwakhiwe ubuhlobo hlangana kwakarhulumende kanye namarhwebo ukwenzela bona i-the Cradle ihlale inemali. Zoke iindaba ezimnandezi kungafundwa ngazo emahlelweni wezokuvakatjha weSewula Africa weskhathini esizako.
Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana