Safeguarding a fragile legacy: rock art management in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park (South Africa) since the mid-1990s.

Concern about the deterioration of uKhahlamba-Drakensberg rock art emerged in the early 1900s with increasing unease about human and natural damage to the paintings. This prompted the first extensive recording of rock paintings in the region and led to rock art being removed from several rock shelters for safekeeping in the 1910s. The next major management initiative occurred in the late 1970s/early 1980s when the Department of Forestry funded a comprehensive rock art survey covering the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg and the development of a rock art management plan. This plan was, however, not implemented and it was only in the mid-1990s when serious consideration was again paid to the management of rock art. Since the mid-1990s there have been various research and management initiatives to achieve a better understanding of the deterioration of the rock art and to enhance its management, including public access. This paper will address the recent (and most complex) phase of management and research initiatives and practices, during which time the region became a World Heritage Site. Issues that will be addressed include: institutional responsibilities; site monitoring; tourism and public and community access; indigenous voices; and, the relationship between scientific research and management practices. The paper will conclude by considering the future requirements of rock art management in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg.