02025V
A SUPPLEMENTARY RESPONSIVE REPORT ON THE CULTURAL
HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GATKOP CAVE (MADIMATLE) AND
THE MELETSE MOUNTAIN, LIMPOPO PROVINCE
Werksmans Attorneys, on behalf of the applicant, are in the process of motivating the
declaration of Gatkop Cave (Madimatle) and the Meletse Mountain as a National
Heritage Site (also called Grade I site). After submission in 2014, the South African
Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) decided to provisionally declare the site and
requested some clarity as to the boundaries thereof as well as an additional
motivation. This was done via a report by Archaetnos (Van Vollenhoven 2018), which
served as supplementary information to the original application.
The information contained in this supplementary report and other information, was
however questioned by the Motjoli Real Estate Company. The focus of this was based
on three issues namely:
1. That the applicant meant to protect another mountain, named Madimatle,
2. Subsequently that there was no contextual link between Gatkop Cave and the
Meletse Mountain and
3. That the application (whatever it includes) should merely be regarded as a
Grade II heritage site and thus be declared as such.
This report serves as response to the issues tabled by Motjoli. In order to do so
reference will be made to other reports commissioned by Motjoli and NGT Holdings
who were appointed by them to write an Integrated Conservation Management Plan
(CMP) for Madimatle Cave. Certain information contained in the previous report done
by Archaetnos (Van Vollenhoven 2018) will be repeated where necessary
Report by
Prof. A.C. van Vollenhoven (L.AKAD.SA.) Accredited member of ASAPA Accredited member of SASCH