The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) would like to thank you for submitting the final Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Proposed Gas to Power via Powership Project at the Port of Richards Bay, uMhlathuze, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
SAHRA previously commented on the Draft EIAR in March 2021 and was disappointed to note that both the DEIA and DEMPr made no reference to maritime heritage. A subsequent letter from the applicant stated that relevant sections in the document were going to be updated to include references to maritime heritage.
Having reviewed the EIA SAHRA is pleased to note that sections 4.2.1 and 8.3.14 have been updated as requested. Although the chance of uncovering maritime heritage is considered to be low, the recommendations set out in section 8.3.14 must be adhered to should any cultural heritage come to light. The recommendations must also be included in any EMPr produced for the project.
Should any shipwrecks be identified as part of this project then SAHRA must be notified to enable the information to be added to the national shipwreck database. Any new discoveries or updated data is a valuable resource in adding to our knowledge of South Africa’s maritime history.
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