SHARON HAMMOND, St Lucia | Wednesday
AN investigation is underway to determine how two archaeological sites in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park were damaged during road works three weeks ago.
The park is one of four World Heritage Sites in South Africa and the archaeological sites, which are 30m and 70m in diameter and contain shell middens and pottery artifacts, are classified as being of medium significance.
”Every effort is being made to determine what actually happened in order to avoid similar incidents from occurring in future,” assured Andrew Zaloumis of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority on Wednesday.
The sites were damaged when an existing road on the eastern shores of the park was being upgraded as part of a tri-nation spatial development initiative to lure investment, specifically tourism, to underdeveloped areas in northern KwaZulu-Natal and southern Swaziland and Mozambique.
”An independent evaluation is underway to determine the value of the sites, the extent o the damage and to identify mitigation measures,” said Zaloumis. The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife and KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority are responsible for implementing the infrastructure programme in the park.
”[We] do not condone any unnecessary damage to sites of cultural and environmental significance,” Zaloumis said.
He said an Environmental Management Plan and robust auditing procedures had been put in place to monitor compliance with archaeological and environmental requirements.
As part of the development, commercial forestry land will be returned to conservation and mining will be precluded from sensitive areas. Zaloumis said a report on the damage to the archaeological sites would be submitted to Minister of Environmental Affairs Tourism Valli Moosa for appropriate action. – African Eye News Service