Two Western Cape sites have been declared as provincial Heritage Sites – the Blombos Cave in the Blombosfontein Nature Reserve, Southern Cape and the Elandsfontein Fossil Dune Site on the West Coast.
“Both these heritage sites contain important evidence of life from previous years and with their declaration as Provincial Heritage Sites, we are ensuring that they will still be kept preserved for years to come”, says Anroux Marais, Western Cape MEC for Cultural Affairs,
According to Marais the Blombos Cave is an especially important site, as it contains archaeological evidence from the Middle Stone Age and bears testimony to a cultural tradition which has now disappeared.
Due to the high levels of sensitivity and their location on private property, the sites are not open to the public. However, in the future, once Heritage Western Cape has developed and finalised the conservation management plans for the sites, there would be the possibility that they might be visited on an appointment basis.
Marais says Heritage Western Cape has played an important role in ensuring that these sites will now be kept safe for future generations.