UNESCO Regional Director visits fire-ravaged areas in Cape Town

The UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa, Prof. Hubert Gijzen today visited the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas and University of Cape Town (South Africa) to see first-hand the devastation caused by the fire that broke out last month.

Prof. Gijzen who was in the company of the Chairperson of the South Africa National Commission for UNESCO, Professor Ihron Rensburg and the Director of the Africa World Heritage Fund, Mr. Souayibou Varissou toured the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage Site in the morning. He held discussions with Table Mountain National Park Manager Mr Frans Van Rooyen; Area Manager, Mr Wana Bacela and Fire Services Manager, Mr Philip Prins.

The Regional Director expressed UNESCO's sympathy to the Cape Town community and South Africa at large and committed UNESCO's support in enhancing disaster risk reduction at world heritage sites in the region.

Prof. Gijzen also visited the University of Cape Town and witnessed the damage caused by the fire to several buildings on the campus. These included the Jagger Library, as well as the restaurant at Rhodes Memorial, the historic Mostert's Mill and several residential houses. He met a high-level delegation of the University led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng.

The fires that started on 18 April 2021 on the slopes of Table Mountain affected the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas Heritage Site and destroyed several buildings on the campus of the University of Cape Town burning down the significant and rare African Studies collections.

In all his meetings, Prof. Gijzen emphasised the importance of investing in disaster risk reduction in order to mitigate the possible impact of major hazards on precious resources.