September 2, 2005
By Lucille Davie
IN THE dust of the Magaliesberg the half-complete visitor centre at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site was renamed Maropeng, a Setswana word meaning "the place where we once lived".
The centre was originally referred to as Mohale's Gate, in honour of an earlier chief who lived in the area.
In another development at the site, during excavations a week ago, one million-year-old Stone Age tools were found. Two of them, well-preserved, carved hand axes, were shown at the renaming ceremony. In total, three boxes of tools were excavated from the site. Their chipped edges, blunted by water erosion, are clearly discernible.
The tools were found along a bank in a layer of pebbles and stones some 50cm below the surface. Construction workers at the centre have subsequently been trained to recognise such implements.
The find is particularly exciting because the impact assessment study showed that there was only a 2 percent chance of finding anything significant.
Present at the ceremony were Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa, Wits University Vice-Chancellor Professor Loyiso Nongxa and Mogale City Mayor Lentswe Mokgatle. About 50 people, with bobbing orange hardhats, listened to the speakers over the background noise of hammering, whistling and the humming of an overhead crane as construction continued.
Living monument
"This is why the Cradle of Humankind is such a wonderful place," said Nongxa, holding up one of the tools. "Wits is proud to be working at this site. It is a living monument to the past, to the present and to the future."
The university manages all the excavation sites in the broader cradle site, which is 47 000 acres in size.
Shilowa explained that the area was once a large lake. "It is hard to believe but this is where our ancestors once roamed.
"The discovery of scores of antiquity stone tools during the excavations which are taking place as part of the construction of a new exhibition place here at Maropeng, proves beyond reasonable doubt that even beyond the periods of the early formations of humankind, our ancestors were living in this place," the premier said.
He said it was important to remember where we had come from, to get a sense of where we were headed in the future.
"If we want to make sense of where we are going as a nation, and what our future holds, we need to make sense of where we come from. We need to make sense of our heritage - hence the name Maropeng."
Shilowa stressed that the construction of the site was about more, though. It was about economic development, job creation and poverty alleviation and, of course, the tourism industry.
The cradle developments will create 1 800 temporary and 600 permanent jobs.
Human development
"The site is about human development, about issues of hunger, poverty, jobs and shelter," Shilowa added. Since developments began at the cradle site, many hospitality venues have sprung up, creating jobs.
Shilowa acknowledged the role players in the development - Wits University, Standard Bank and its 100ha donation of land, Mogale City and the private sector in the area.
The tumulus rises from the top of the koppie
The site complements the Sterkfontein Cave site, about 10 kilometres south-east of Maropeng, which has also been developed. A new cave complex was opened in March this year, which consists of a restaurant, an auditorium, a souvenir shop, a hominid exhibition hall with interactive exhibits, a wooden walkway from which excavations can be viewed, and a look-in at the laboratory where scientists examine the fossil finds.
Once completed, Maropeng will consist of an interpretation centre, where visitors will be able to explore, by means of zones, the history of the earth and humankind. It is positioned up the side of a koppie, where ancient rocky outcrops will mark the setting of a huge burial mound, referred to as a "tumulus". The partly disguised, teardrop-shaped grassy mound, 20m in height and 35m in diameter, is being constructed at present.
The site is visible from the road, with seven tall concrete pillars representing the seven daughters of Eve. After the visitor has parked, entrance to the site is via an excavated market place, containing stalls, a restaurant and a curio shop. This is where the tools were found, and where further excavations will take place.
A walkway will lead to the entrance into the tumulus, an exploration area involving a boat ride on an underground lake that will explore the different forms of water. From there the visitor will walk down an underground spine, exploring through interactive displays the discovery of fire, bipedalism, extinction and DNA, among many other things.
It is hoped that there will be real fossils on display, like Little Foot and Lucy, in a high security room.
From here, the visitor will exit at the crest of the koppie, and relax with a picnic basket, taking in the view of the Magaliesberg.
Kiddies' cave
At this point there will be a kiddies' cave, where children can set up their own dig. The cave will be built with local stone in a jagged wall, representing shards of broken bone.
A 24-room boutique hotel and a hostel for schoolchildren are also being built.
The complex will be officially opened in early December, and it is expected that 3 000 people a day will visit. The site will be managed by Maropeng a'Afrika Leisure. The R347-million development is a Blue IQ project.
"This development is not only part of our national pride, but to the world it denotes the universal relevance of the Cradle of Humankind as the ancestral home to all, no matter what colour, culture or creed," said Rob King, chief executive of Maropeng a'Afrika.
"While giving South Africans an international, world-class calibre visitor centre, Maropeng will also cater for South African families [who want] to experience an entertaining, yet informative day out."
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