The world-renowned Wits Sterkfontein caves officially reopened in a ceremony on Tuesday, 15 April. Special events are planned for the duration of the opening week. This important paleontological site now transitions to full management of the University of Witwatersrand (Wits University).
About the Wits Sterkfontein caves
This is a dolomite cave system that started forming 30 million years ago. It consists of a series of underground chambers and passageways. The total mapped cave system is over 2.5km and it is situated 50km northwest of Johannesburg within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.
The cave system has yielded revolutionary palaeosciences discoveries, including Mrs Ples (1947) and the nearly complete Little Foot skeleton (1994-1998). It has over 700 hominid specimens dating back 3.67 million years.
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Importance of the caves
The limestone caves, which formed many millions of years ago, preserved critical evidence of our relatives. Their remains fell into the deep caves through tall, narrow shafts. For more than three million years, the remains of hominins and many other animals living on the Cradle of Humankind landscape have accumulated underground in huge deposits. This created a fossil record spanning several million years of human evolution.
The Wits Sterkfontein Caves hold exceptional universal value which led to their designation as part of the Cradle of Humankind United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation World Heritage Site in 1999. Their scientific importance cannot be overstated. They continue to yield new discoveries that shape our understanding of who we are and where we come from.
New research and educational experience
Previously, the caves served primarily as a tourist destination, attracting numbers of international and local visitors. The reimagined Wits Sterkfontein caves will now offer a more immersive research and educational experience. This will bring visitors closer to the science that has defined the site for nearly 100 years.
Dean of the Wits Faculty of Science Professor Nithaya Chetty said: “This reopening represents a significant evolution in how we share the story of human origins. Visitors now have unique opportunities to engage with active live science and research, all happening in real time,”
Dr Job Kibii will now, under new management, serve as the head of the Wits Sterkfontein caves. He will oversee daily operations and visitor experiences. Research activities will continue being led by professor Dominic Stratford as the research permit holder.
The enhanced visitor experience will feature:
• Direct interactions with scientists and students conducting research;
• Behind-the-scenes access to fossil preparation laboratories;
• Guided tours of the Wits Sterkfontein Caves with enhanced scientific context;
• Educational programmes focused on human evolution and palaeoanthropology, as well as other scientific disciplines in the Earth Sciences, such as Climate Science and Geosciences; and
• Exhibits showcasing the latest discoveries and research findings.
Wits University has made more information on visiting hours, educational programmes and special events easily accessible to the public on their website.
“The reopening of the Wits Sterkfontein Caves represents an exciting opportunity to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and the public’s understanding of science.
“By making science more accessible, we hope to inspire the next generation of researchers while helping everyone connect more deeply with our shared human story,” said professor Zeblon Vilakazi, vice-chancellor and principal of Wits University.
