Members of the public, universities, communities and/or traditional councils are hereby invited to nominate suitable indigenous knowledge holders to be considered for appointment to be considered for documentation as Living Human Treasures in line with the National Policy on South African Living Heritage.
Living human treasures are persons who possess, to a very high degree, the knowledge and skills required for performing or recreating specific elements of the living heritage.
The Living Human Treasures project seeks to recognise and document knowledge holders, oral historians, traditional healers, master craftsmen, artists, cultural practitioners, and other custodians of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) who have made an exceptional contribution to the preservation, transmission, and promotion of South Africa’s intangible cultural heritage. According to Chapter 5, clause 5.5.3 of the National Policy on South African Living Human Treasures, the basis on which such persons are selected is: the value of their skill as a testimony of human creative genius; the character and reputation of such individuals in their community; the risk of their knowledge disappearing; the ability to transmit living heritage; and recommendation by the community.
Disqualification: A person shall not be documented as a Living Human Treasure if that person- a) is not South African citizen and ordinarily is not resident in the Republic -b) is an unrehabilitated insolvent -c) Has at any time been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty, whether in the republic or elsewhere, and sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine.
