UNESCO bukaCradle of Humankind

Indawo Eyigugu Lomhlaba

©David Fleminger

I-Cradle of Humankind (noma i-COH, njengoba ngiyibiza ngokujwayelekile) yafakwa kuqala ohlwini lweMagugu omhlaba njengesiza sokubaluleka kwamasiko ngo-1999, noma usayithi nombolo 915 kuwe. Ekuqaleni, kufaka phakathi imigede engaba amashumi amabili ngaphakathi kwendawo elinganisa amahektha angu-47 000 (kanye namahektha angu-80 000 wezwe elizungeziwe elisebenza njengendawo yokuvimba ukwakhiwa kwezakhiwo). Le ndawo igxile emaphandleni ase-Sterkfontein, eKromdraai naseSwartkrans, engamakhilomitha angaba ngu-45 enyakatho-ntshonalanga yeGoli.
Ngokungajwayelekile endaweni eyigugu lezwe, iningi lomhlaba ku-Cradle lisesezandleni zangasese, kodwa iSterkfontein Caves ngeye-University of the Witwatersrand, ngemuva kokuba umhlaba unikezwe wona ngabanikazi bokuqala bepulazi. Manje, abaningi baseGauteng bangase bajwayele umgede we-Sterkfontein ngezikhathi zokuphuma esikoleni ukuya esikhungweni sokuvakashela i emaphandleni, ngakho-ke kuyamangaza ukuthi i-Cradle iye yafaka impendulo enamandla kusukela ekomidini le-UNESCO enemithetho eqinile.Ngakho ke, kuningi okumelwe ujabule ngakho.

Kungani Injabulo?

©David Fleminger

Njengoba ikomidi lezobuchwepheshe elivela ku-ICOMOS (nenye isichazamazwi, leli limelela uMkhandlu Wamazwe Omhlaba Wamaphemeli NamaSayithi) kutholakala ekuhloleni kwabo: "Leli qembu lamasayithi lenye yezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu emhlabeni ukuze kuqondwe ukuziphendukela kwemvelo kwanamuhla umuntu (uHomo sapiens sapiens) ovela koyise. Bakhiqize inqwaba yamatshe ase-hominid, endala kunazo zonke ezineminyaka engaba yizigidi ezingu-3.5 edlule, kanye namathuluzi abo kanye nezinsalela zezilwane zasendle. Ukuphenya ngeminyaka engamashumi ayisithupha edlule kuye kwadlala indima ebalulekile ekusunguleni i-Afrika njengomuntu wesintu. Okusemandleni okuthola okunye okutholayo okuphawulekayo kunkulu kakhulu."

Konke lokhu kwakwanele ukuhlangabezana nezimiso ezimbili eziyishumi kwi-World Heritage Status:

Ukuthwala ubufakazi obuyingqayizivele noma obuncane bomkhuba wendabuko noma impucuko ephilayo noma ephikile;

Ukuba yisibonelo esivelele somhlobo wokwakha, ukwakheka kwezakhiwo noma ezobuchwepheshe noma indawo ekhombisa ukuthi isigaba esibalulekile emlandweni wesintu;
Ngenxa yobhaliso bukaCradle ohlwini lwe-UNESCO, le ndawo manje isebenzisa okuthile kokuzalwa kabusha. Isikhungo sabantu abazithobayo esikhungweni seSterkfontein siye sathuthukiswa kakhulu futhi manje sinendawo yokudlela enhle, imyuziyamu enhle kakhulu kanye nezinkambo ezithuthukisiwe emaphandleni ngokwazo. Iziphathimandla ziphinde zasebenzisa u-R300 million ukwakha isikhungo sezokuvakasha se-state-of-the-art, esibizwa ngokuthi i-Maropeng, ibanga elide emaphandleni.
Lokhu kukhanga kakhulu, lapho abantu abahamba khona bekwazi ukuthola okwengeziwe ngokuziphendukela kwemvelo ngenkathi bejabulela ukubuka okuthandekayo phezu kwe-Cradle. Kodwa into ejabulisayo ngempela mayelana ne-Cradle yukuthi namanje isayithi elisebenza kakhulu, futhi izimfihlo eziningi zasendulo zilele phansi ngaphansi komhlaba nje kulindeleke ukuthi zitholwe. Ngokwezinhlobo eziningi ososayensi, abavubukuli kanye nama-palaeoanthropologists bahlambalaza njalo endaweni, bethola izinsalela ezingavamile nezingaqondakali (kokubili ama-hominid nama-mammalian) okufaka ekuqondeni kwethu okungaphelele kwemvelaphi yokuphila emhlabeni.

I-Cradle Yenezelwe

Ngo-2005, ukubizwa ngokuthi 'Cradle of Humankind' kwandiswe ukuba kufakwe izindawo ezimbili ezengeziwe ezixhunywe endaweni yaseSterkfontein kodwa hhayi ezihambisana nomhlaba wangempela. Lezi zindawo yi-quarry yaseTaung, ngaseKimberley, neMakapansgat, ngasePietersburg / ePolokwane. Zombili lezi zindawo zinehlobo elifanayo ledwala elibeka njengeSterkfontein (ehlukaniswe njengengxenye yeTransvaal Supergroup), futhi zombili ziqukethe izibonelo ze-fossil eziyigugu eziqinisekisa ukuthi ama-hominids ahlala endaweni angakapheli iminyaka engaba ngu-3 nengxenye yesigamu, uma kungenjalo.
Mhlawumbe into engcono kakhulu ngokuthi i-Cradle of Humankind yabizwa ngokuthi i-World Heritage Site yukuthi iphoqelele iziphathimandla ukuba zibheke ngokucophelela izinhlelo zokuphatha ezisebenzayo ezizoqinisekisa ukuthi indawo iyaqhutshwa ngokuvumelana nemigomo eqhubekayo nenhlalakahle yomphakathi. Isibonelo, izinqubomgomo zenzelwe ukuthi zizovikela ubuhle bemvelo yendawo ngenkathi zivumela ukuthuthukiswa okuphetheyo.
Uhlelo lokubamba iqhaza komphakathi lusungulwa ukuze lube nemisebenzi kanye nezindlu, ukuze abantu bendawo bathole izinzuzo eziqondile ezivela ekukhungweni kwezokuvakasha. Futhi ukusebenzisana nohulumeni kanye nebhizinisi kuyaxoshwa ukuqinisekisa ukuthi i-Cradle iyakwazi ukuhlala ikwazi ukugcina imali. Zonke lezi yizindaba ezinhle, futhi zingenza njengesifundo-socwaningo kwezinye izinhlelo zezokuvakasha eNingizimu Afrika esikhathini esizayo. Phela, ukuvakasha kuhamba kahle kakhulu phakathi kokulondolozwa nokukhwabanisa futhi, uma izinto zingasetshenzisiwe ngokuziphendulela, kukhona ingozi ukuthi sizozibhubhisa izimfanelo abantu abazoza kuzozibona.

Translated by Nsika Khoza