Case Decision - 351028

Interim Comment

The SAHRA notes the submission of the Desktop HIA and BID document as notification of the proposed prospecting right. An assessment of impacts to heritage resources and palaeontological resources must be undertaken as part of the EA application. The assessment must include an assessment of the impact to archaeological and palaeontological resources. The field-based assessment of archaeological resources must be conducted. The HIA must include a tracklog of the site survey.

The proposed development is located within an area of very high and  Palaeontological Sensitivity as per the SAHRIS PalaeoSensitivity map. As such, a field-based Palaeontological Impact Assessment (PIA) must be undertaken by a qualified palaeontologist. (See https://www.palaeosa.org/heritage-practitioners.html for a list of qualified palaeontologists). The report must comply with the 2012 Minimum Standards: Palaeontological Components of Heritage Impact Assessments. 

Any other heritage resources as defined in section 3 of the NHRA that may be impacted, such as built structures over 60 years old, sites of cultural significance associated with oral histories, burial grounds and graves, graves of victims of conflict, and cultural landscapes or viewscapes must also be assessed.
 

The DEIA and its appendices in support of EA application be submitted to the case. SAHRA will comment further on the application when the above-mentioned documents are submitted. The applicant is advised to extend the EA process in terms of section 19(1) of the NEMA EIA regulations in order to address this comment.