South Africa has officially been bestowed its seventh World Heritage Site today at the 29th World Heritage Committee Meeting held in Durban.

The Vredefort Dome, spanning the Free State and the North West Provinces, was inscribed as South Africa's fourth natural heritage site.

The honour is awarded to designated sites that are deemed to be of outstanding universal value.

Of the seven World Heritage Sites that are in the country, three are cultural heritage sites while four are natural heritages sites.

Welcoming the inscription, Arts and Culture Minister, Pallo Jordan said the awarding was a proud moment for South Africa.

"The next step is to establish management structures, and comply with requirements of the UNESCO Convention."

He added, "The Vredefort site is rich in the symbolic representation of our culture and it demonstrates the meeting between scientific and cultural philosophy and practice."

The Vredefort Dome is the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world. It was formed an estimated 2 billion years ago when a giant meteorite hit the earth close to where Vredefort is today.

"At Vredefort, opportunities exist to engage in geological research and explore and understand more sensitively the rich culture of the Basotho, Batswana and Khoi-San and the early evidence of human cognitive and artistic endeavour their cultures boast," said Dr Jordan.

This, said Dr Jordan, demonstrated that heritage could be a tool for nation building and that this tangible site and its intangible aspects should be preserved for posterity and for the nation's survival as a human race.

Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk pointed out the rich natural diversity of the site.

"With over 100 different plant species, more than 300 types of birds, over 70 butterfly species and a variety of small mammals, the site adds real biodiversity value to our goal of expanding the areas under conservation in our country," he said.

The economic and tourism potential of the inscription are a priority for the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

"With this in mind, the department has allocated R18 million from our poverty relief programme for tourism and infrastructural development of the Vredefort Dome Site," said Mr. van Schalkwyk.

He added that these funds will be used, for among other things, the eradication of alien invasive vegetation, hiking trails and the construction of a tourism centre.

"Representing the people of South Africa, we will set and maintain high standards for our heritage sites. The role of Heritage is to help contribute to the eradication of poverty," concluded Dr Jordan.

South Africa's application for the extension of Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein to include Mokapane's Valley and the Taung Skull Fossil Site is also expected to be discussed before the end of the meeting.