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Ref: 02/1/5/2
MINISTER
QUESTION NO. 340 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
A draft reply to Mr D A Worth (DA-FS) to the above-mentioned question is
enclosed for your consideration.
Ms Lize McCourt
DIRECTOR-GENERAL (ACTING)
DATE:
DRAFT REPLY APPROVED/APPROVED AS AMENDED/NOT APPROVED
MRS B E E MOLEWA, MP
MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
DATE:
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
(For written reply)
QUESTION NO. 340
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 19 CW442E
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 27 July 2012
Mr D A Worth (DA-FS) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental
Affairs:
Whether any agreements exist between her department and (a) farm, (b)
land and (c) property owners that will enable the Vredefort Dome to be
registered as a World Heritage Site; if not, what is the position in this
regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Mr D A Worth (DA-FS)
SECRETARY TO PARLIAMENT
HANSARD
PAPERS OFFICE
PRESS
340. THE MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ANSWERS:
(a) No
(b) No
(c) Yes
In my capacity as Minister I have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on
26 May 2012 with the Free State Land Owners Association, the North West
Dome Land Owners Association and the Dome Meteorite Park. These
associations represent the land owners of the Vredefort Dome World Heritage
Site. This was widely publicized in public through media statements
released on 26 May 2012 (copy attached as Annexure âAâ).
The MoA was based on a mediated process between the parties to address the
following:
a) the draft regulations governing the Vredefort Dome World Heritage
Site;
b) the management of the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site in accordance
with the World Heritage Convention Act, 1999 (Act No. 49 of 1999);
c) the Integrated Management Plan; and
d) the development of guidelines and any specialist studies that may be
required (for example, an environmental management framework).
Through the MoA, the parties agreed to proclaim the site on the basis of
principles that include the following: to ensure that the integrity and
outstanding universal value of the site be maintained; the protection of
the rights of land owners as provided for in the Constitution; and the
cooperation of the parties in an open and transparent manner.
The parties also agreed that the land owners will appoint and nominate two
(2) representatives from each of the three (3) associations on the Board
for the first 5 (five) years, subject to the procedure set out in section
14 of the World Heritage Convention Act, 1999 (Act No. 49 of 1999).
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