South Africa - Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape

"The 160,000 ha Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape of dramatic mountainous desert in north-western South Africa constitutes a cultural landscape communally owned and managed. This site sustains the semi-nomadic pastoral livelihood of the Nama people, reflecting seasonal patterns that may have persisted for as much as two millennia in southern Africa. It is the only area where the Nama still construct portable rush-mat houses (haru om) and includes seasonal migrations and grazing grounds, together with stock posts. The pastoralists collect medicinal and other plants and have a strong oral tradition associated with different places and attributes of the landscape." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape. Nice sketch drawing by Retha of South Africa - thanks.

South Africa - Vredefort Dome

"Vredefort Dome, approximately 120 km south-west of Johannesburg, is a representative part of a larger meteorite impact structure, or astrobleme. Dating back 2,023 million years, it is the oldest astrobleme yet found on Earth. With a radius of 190 km, it is also the largest and the most deeply eroded. Vredefort Dome bears witness to the world’s greatest known single energy release event, which had devastating global effects including, according to some scientists, major evolutionary changes. It provides critical evidence of the Earth’s geological history and is crucial to understanding of the evolution of the planet. Despite the importance of impact sites to the planet’s history, geological activity on the Earth’s surface has led to the disappearance of evidence from most of them, and Vredefort is the only example to provide a full geological profile of an astrobleme below the crater floor." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Vredefort Dome is the largest crater in the world. Thanks to Retha of South Africa.

South Africa - Barberton Makhonjwa Mountain

"Situated in north-eastern South Africa, the site comprises 40% of the Barberton Greenstone Belt, one of the world’s oldest geological structures. The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains represents the best-preserved succession of volcanic and sedimentary rock dating back 3.6 to 3.25 billion years, when the first continents were starting to form on the primitive Earth. It features meteor-impact fallback breccias resulting from the impact of meteorites formed just after the Great Bombardment (4.6 to 3.8 billion years ago)."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Barbeton Makhonjwa Mountains postcard - printed not in country of orign. Still looking a tourist postcard of this site, written stamped South Africa. Received in October 2018.

South Africa - Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs

"The Taung Skull Fossil Site, part of the extension to the site inscribed in 1999, is the place where in 1924 the celebrated Taung Skull – a specimen of the species Australopithecus africanus – was found. Makapan Valley, also in the site, features in its many archaeological caves traces of human occupation and evolution dating back some 3.3 million years. The area contains essential elements that define the origin and evolution of humanity. Fossils found there have enabled the identification of several specimens of early hominids, more particularly of Paranthropus, dating back between 4.5 million and 2.5 million years, as well as evidence of the domestication of fire 1.8 million to 1 million years ago." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Maropeng visitor facility is the gateway to the Cradle of Humankind and lies 10km from the Sterkfontein Caves. Maropen translated from Setswana means "returning to your place of origin". Thanks to Gesela who bought this card in South Africa.

South Africa - Robben Island - my 575th UNESCO WHS

"Robben Island was used at various times between the 17th and 20th centuries as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups and a military base. Its buildings, particularly those of the late 20th century such as the maximum security prison for political prisoners, witness the triumph of democracy and freedom over oppression and racism." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard 1
A multi-view showing an aerial view of Robben Island. Nice circular 2010 South Africa World Cup stamp used. Thanks to Craig of South Africa.







Postcard 2
Nice aerial view of Robben Island. What a cool stamp of Nelson Mandela who was a political prisoner at Robben Island. This is a very significant postcard as it is my 575th UNESCO World Heritage. Thanks to Collin of South Africa.

Mozambique - South Africa - iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Maputo National Park (2025)

"The iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Maputo National Park is a transboundary extension to South Africa’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park, inscribed in 1999. It includes terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems, and is home to nearly 5,000 species. The site complements iSimangaliso’s conservation values, enhancing biodiversity protection across the Maputaland ecoregion. It features diverse habitats, including lakes, lagoons, mangroves, and coral reefs. The park lies within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot, reflecting high endemism and ongoing natural processes, and underscores long-standing regional conservation cooperation."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

South Afirca - iSimangaliso Wetland Park of Saint Lucia, South Africa. Nice map and multi-view. Thanks to Michael of South Africa.

Lesotho - South Africa - Maloti Drakensberg Transboundary World Heritage Site

"2013 extension includes Sehlabathebe National Park. The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park has exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic buttresses, incisive dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts. Rolling high altitude grasslands, the pristine steep-sided river valleys and rocky gorges also contribute to the beauty of the site. The site’s diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, especially birds and plants. This spectacular natural site also contains many caves and rock-shelters with the largest and most concentrated group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara, made by the San people over a period of 4,000 years. The rock paintings are outstanding in quality and diversity of subject and in their depiction of animals and human beings. They represent the spiritual life of the now extinct San people." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard 1A - South Africa
Cathedral Peak of Drakensberg in Natal. The park has over 243,000 hectares of mountain splendour. Nice stamp of sugilite gem, postmarked in Durban. Thanks to Michael of South Africa.





Postcard 1B - South Africa
Prehistoric rock art of Bushmen painting in Drakensberg. Thanks to Sylwia of Poland.

South Africa - Cape Floral Region Protected Areas

"A serial site – in Cape Province, South Africa – made up of eight protected areas, covering 553,000 ha, the Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas for plants in the world. It represents less than 0.5% of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of the continent’s flora. The site displays outstanding ecological and biological processes associated with the Fynbos vegetation, which is unique to the Cape Floral Region. The outstanding diversity, density and endemism of the flora are among the highest worldwide. Unique plant reproductive strategies, adaptive to fire, patterns of seed dispersal by insects, as well as patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation found in the flora, are of outstanding value to science."
Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard 1
What a beautiful view of Table Mountain and Cape Town from Bloubergstrand. Nice stamp of winke whale. Thanks to Mariana.






Postcard 2
Another great view of Table Mountain from Bloubergstrand. Long stamp of diesel locomotive. Thanks to Marie S.