Palaeoanthropological research at the Sterkfontein Caves

This application seeks permission to undertake continuing palaeoanthropological research at the World Heritage site of the Sterkfontein Caves, Krugersdorp, Gauteng Province primarily under the direction of Professor Dominic Stratford with Dr Matthew Caruana as co-permit holder. Professor Marion Bamford represents the landowner, Wits University. All excavations were seriously hindered between 2019 and 2021 due to the covid19 pandemic. This application therefore seeks permission to continue excavations for research in the underground and surface-exposed fossiliferous deposits that were previously proposed for the 2019-2022 permit period but not completed. In addition, permission is sought for ongoing excavations as part of the Member 4 stabilisation project to mitigate serious structural fragility from previous excavations. In addition, this application includes the development of fossiliferous breccias and sediments resulting from past and present excavations together with associated research and curation of the yielded fossils following SAHRA and Wits University curatorial standards.