6 the Environments Associated with the Proposed Alternative Sites

Home , Buffelsrivier, Garies, Henkries, Hondeklip Bay, Kamieskroon, Kleinzee

6 THE ENVIRONMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE SITES

The purpose of this section is to describe the environments associated with the proposed alternative sites. The information contained herein was extracted from the relevant specialist studies. Please refer to Section 3.5 for a list of all the relevant specialists and their fields of expertise and to Appendix E for the original specialist reports.

6.1 Brazil Site

6.1.1 Physical

(a) Location

The Brazil site is situated in the Kleinzee / Nolloth region of the Northern Cape, within the jurisdiction of the Nama-Khoi Municipality ( Figure 16). The site has the following co-ordinates: 29°48’51.40’’S and 17°4’42.21’’E. The Brazil site is situated approximately 500 km north of Cape Town and 100 km west-southwest of Springbok. Kleinzee is located 15 km north, Koiingnaas is 90 km south and Kamieskroon is located 90 km southeast of the Brazil site.

Figure 16: Location of the proposed Brazil site in relation to the surrounding areas (Bulman, 2007)

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(b) Topography

The topography in the Brazil region is largely flat, with only a gentle slope down to the coast. The coast is composed of both sandy and rocky shores. The topography is characterised by a small fore-dune complex immediately adjacent to the coast with the highest elevation of approximately nine mamsl. Further inland the general elevation depresses to about five mamsl in the middle of the study area and then gradually rises towards the east. There is a limited amount of undulation created by vegetated dunes.

According to Low and Desmet (2007) dune patterns are quite evident at this site, with massive parabolic dune fields stretching south north for some distance along the coast. Most dunes appear to be undulating dunes with some gentle hummocking and are partially vegetated. In the south, parabolics are found nearer the coast. Further inland vegetated and semi-vegetated parabolics occur, but appear to be the remains of a much more extensive parabolic set, which is well-represented at Schulpfontein located approximately 30 km south of the Brazil site (Refer to Figure 17).

Figure 17: Topographic location of the proposed Brazil and Schulpfontein sites in relation to the broader geographical area (Burger, 2007)

The weather data for Brazil was acquired from the closest automatic weather station, which is located at Koiingnaas, approximately 47 km south of the Brazil site, as no site specific meteorological data was available. The climatic information was taken from Burger (2007).

(i) Temperature The temperature measurements recorded at Koiingnaas in 2006 indicated a maximum of 40°C during November and a minimum of 4°C in June. The temperatures inland from the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites regularly reach an excess of 30°C. However, the cold ocean currents, with a mean annual temperature of 18°C, tend to reduce the inland temperatures.

Temperature variations are induced by Berg wind conditions (off shore flow), whereby the temperature may exceed 35°C whilst the temperature can drop below 8°C during a temperature inversion.

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(ii) Rainfall The area is extremely dry and has a winter rainfall with a mean annual precipitation (MAP) of approximately 75 mm on the coastline increasing to 160 mm in the upper catchments. Rainfall measurements range between 63 and 166 mm with an average mean annual rainfall of 108 mm and a standard deviation of 19 mm.

(iii) Wind At Brazil the surface winds are mostly southerly during summer, when vertical motion is suppressed by the south Atlantic high-pressure system.

The area experiences a high frequency of strong winds (> 10 m/s) originating from the south and south-southeast. Strong winds occasionally occur from the west and west- northwest. Calm wind conditions occur for approximately seven percent of the time. The surface wind character is summarised in the wind roses below (Figure 18).

Figure 18: Wind roses for the Koiingnaas monitoring station, used to infer weather data at the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites (Burger, 2007)

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(d) Geology and Seismology

The geological and seismological information was taken from CGS (2007a).

The geology of the 40 km wide coastal plain is dominated by Mesoproterozoic Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic province gneisses covered by Neogene to Quaternary marine and Aeolian deposits (Figure 19 and Figure 20). The basic crustal structure is dominated by northeast to north striking, variously dipping ductile foliations (showing plastic deformation) with intermittent sub vertical belts of ductile shear27 structures ductile shear belts produced under mid-crustal conditions some 1100 million years (Ma) ago. North-northeast striking tholeiitic dykes of the Gannakouriep Suite that became metamorphosed to sub vertical bands of amphibolites during the Pan African Orogeny that ended approximately 500 million years ago cut these structures.

This dyke swarm is cut by north–striking brittle-ductile shear zones and quartz-veined faults formed during sinistral, transpressional shortening of the crust during the late Neoproterozoic. The latter shears are in turn cut by NNW to NW striking brittle Mesozoic faults formed during the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean and by a NE striking joint set related to oceanic transforms. All of these faults are orientated sub vertical. De Beer (2001) did not find any evidence of Cenozoic (65ma – present) faulting during approximately 10 years of field mapping in the area, but reported on evidence of listric faulting (spoon-shaped)found by the Atomic Energy Corporation (AEC) (currently NECSA) workers in that area.

Figure 19: Geological structure, setting and seismicity for the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites (derived from a 1:1,000,000 digital database) (CGS, 2007a)

27 Shear describes a wide range of structures that develop in rocks as a result of tectonic stress.

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Figure 20: Simplified geology of the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites (SRK, 2007b)

(i) Tectonics Aeolian sands, cover eighty percent of the land area, located within the 40 km radius of the site. Many faults may lie hidden beneath these sands. The largest faults encountered along the coast are two km south of the site, at Noopbaai and four km south of the Schulpfontein site. The faults are marked by breccias and quartz veins and strike approximately NNW-SSE, disappearing into the sea at both localities. None of these faults have displacements of possibly more than a few tens of metres. In the general vicinity of the Brazil site, faults are of a lesser nature (De Beer, 2001). Faults with probable displacements of the order of tens of metres, marked by sparse outcrops of white vein quartz, were mapped in the gneiss to the east of the Schulpfontein site.

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The offshore data shows that west dipping, coast parallel, normal faults occur at distances of 15 and 40 km offshore of the Schulpfontein site. Although no fault is shown to occur 15 km away from Brazil, marginal rift half-grabens28 are present and faults could well extend northwards (De Beer, 2006a). A fault 40 km away from the coastline is indicated to continue to the sea floor. However, the veneer of Quaternary sediments on the continental shelf is so thin that it is impossible to tell whether the faults indeed cut through the very youngest sediments. The faults penetrate the whole geological sequence that was affected by “gravity faults” (slumping) some 200 km offshore. Their relationship to the base of the Tertiary is indeterminable. There is currently no evidence that the Langklip fault created a surface rupture, which may have had more to do with the site conditions at the time of rupturing, and/or so called “fault die-out up” (Bonilla and Lienkaemper, 1991). The “dune lineament” at Hondeklip Bay may, however, represent a related fault that in fact ruptured through to the surface.

(ii) Palaeo-seismicity Investigations in mining exposures along the Namaqualand coast revealed the presence of faulting and liquefaction in sediments that are less than five million years (Ma) old (De Beer, 2006a,b). Faults of similar strike, but unknown activity, in the Quaternary are present within seven kilometers of Brazil and Schulpfontein. The occurrence of an enigmatic “dune lineament” at Hondeklip Bay further compromises understanding of the age of Cenozoic faulting in this area and a substantial amount of work needs to be done to investigate these features before the risk to the Namaqualand sites can be defined more clearly. The absence of widespread secondary evidence implies that large earthquakes are comparatively rare. Not enough work has, however, been done to determine the recurrence interval of such events by palaeoseismological means.

(iii) Seismic Hazard Preliminary investigations indicate that there is no fatal flaw with respect to seismic risk. This will be further substantiated during the detailed specialist investigation to be undertaken for the EIA phase.

(e) Geohydrology

The geohydrological information was taken from SRK (2007b).

(i) Groundwater occurrence Two types of aquifer occur in the study area, namely intergranular (primary) aquifers in the unconsolidated sediments such as riverbeds or surficial deposits and fractured- rock (secondary) aquifers in the crystalline basement rocks. Two intergranular aquifers are of note, namely the Spektakel Aquifer and Schulpfontein-Noup Aquifer, which occur in the region (Refer to Figure 21 below).

28 Grabens, refers to a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults.

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Figure 21: Simplified groundwater map for the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites as well as the surrounding regions (SRK, 2007b)

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Further details pertaining to the aquifers are outlined below.

Spektakel Aquifer The alluvial sediments of the Buffels River form the Spektakel Aquifer, which falls just outside the 50 km radius, where it exits the Spektakel Escarpment, on its way to the Atlantic Ocean approximately 74 km away at Kleinzee. The Spektakel Aquifer is located approximately 15 km east of Komaggas and previously supplied water to Springbok, Nababeep and O’Okiep, i.e. prior to the construction of the Henkries water supply scheme from the Orange River. A scheme is currently being constructed from this aquifer to augment Komaggas’ water.

Schulpfontein-Noup and other Aquifers Alluvial deposits in a palaeochannel formed the Schulpfontein-Noup Aquifer, located approximately 10 km east of Brazil. Of lesser importance are secondary or fractured- rock type aquifers that develop where the crystalline bedrock has been fractured by structural deformation such as faults, joints, cleavage and folds. This type of aquifer is poorly developed in the study area.

(ii) Groundwater flow and depth The regional groundwater flow pattern is towards the coast but locally the flow is from the watershed towards the Buffels and Swartlintjies Rivers (Figure 21). In DWAF’s Groundwater Resource Assessment Phase 2 project (DWAF, 2005), it is reported that the average groundwater depth in the F40A Quaternary catchment is ~48 mbgl (SRK, 2006).

(iii) Groundwater quality The groundwater salinity, measured as Electrical Conductivity (EC), in the study area ranges between 300 and 1 000 mS/m (millisiemens29 per metre) immediately around the Site, while further east at Komaggas, the Schulpfontein-Noup Aquifer as well as the Spektakel aquifer, the EC ranges between 70 and 300 mS/m (according the DWAF’s (1995) 1:500 000 Hydrogeological Map). Water with an EC of >300 mS/m is of poor quality and unfit for human consumption, whilst water with an EC of between 70 and 300 mS/m is brackish and of marginal quality for human consumption.

(iv) Groundwater potential The Brazil site and most of the surrounding study areas are considered as Non- Aquifer or Poor Groundwater Region (SRK, 2007) with moderate to poor water quality (DWAF, 1995). According to DWAF (2005) the town of Kommagas uses the groundwater in the area for domestic and municipal purposes where ~140 000 m3/annum is abstracted from boreholes. A pipeline is currently being constructed to augment Komaggas’ water supply from the Spektakel Aquifer, of which the long term yield potential is estimated as ~700 000 m3/annum, whilst abstraction from the Aquifer by the Buffelsrivier community and a few farmers’ amount to ~160 000 m3/annum (SRK, 2006). The Noup-Schulpfontein Aquifer, which occurs in the study area, has an estimated yield potential of ~540 000 m3/annum whilst abstraction by the Koiingnaas Mine is reportedly ~216 000 m3/annum (SRK, 1990).

(f) Geotechnical characteristics

The site consists of sand including marine and fluvial gravel, boulder and cobble beds overlying granite bedrock. The sand/boulders/cobbles have accumulated in the undulating erosion gullies of the bedrock and are likely to be of the order of two to

29 Siemens is the standard international unit of electrical conductance. A millisiemen is equal to one- thousandth (10-3) of a siemen.

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four metres thick and calcretised over extensive areas. Due to the relative thinness of the overburden, stability of this material is unlikely to cause problems. Similarly, it is likely that the material can be used to form construction terraces with a minimum of imported base course material as a wearing surface. Bearing capacity with the sand horizons are likely to be in the range 150- 300 kPa depending of the consistency and the presence of calcrete and boulders.

The underlying granite bedrock will form an excellent founding layer. However, some caution must be exercised in the design of foundation due to the presence of amphibolites zones/dykes, which are prone to weathering and may exhibit variable- founding conditions in places, particularly where highly loaded areas are envisaged. Due to the apparent lack of structure in the granites, excavations are likely to be stable to five metres. However, local mapping and assessment must be carried out to ensure that this is achievable.

The availability of construction materials on site remains uncertain. Goraap se Kop in the vicinity has previously been identified as a source of aggregate and the Buffels River as a source of sand. In addition, it may be possible to establish a quarry on site, but this will depend on extensive site investigation and assessment of the near surface quality of the granite. Alternatively, commercial sources or quarries established in the vicinity and transported to site will have to be used.

6.1.2 Biophysical

(a) Flora

Four vegetation types were identified at Brazil, namely, (i) Namaqualand Coastal Duneveld (Least Threatened) (ii) Namaqualand Strandveld (Least Threatened) (iii) Namaqualand Seashore Vegetation (Least Threatened) and (iv) Namaqualand Salt Pans (Least Threatened). The latter is located just outside the north-eastern boundary of the site (Refer to Figure 22).

Figure 22: Vegetation types associated with the Brazil and Schulpfontein coastal area (Low and Desmet, 2007)

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Approximately 43 species are found in the three communities and the vegetation is in medium to good condition. Vegetation types in the area are poorly conserved (sensu Driver et al., 2003). Except for the southern section, most of the site is rated as irreplaceable30 (mainly 60 – 80 %) and of high vulnerability, which renders the site of conservation importance (sensu Driver et al., (2003) (Figure 23).

Figure 23: Irreplaceability (left) and conservation priorities for the Brazil and Schulpfontein coastline (Low and Desmet, 2007)

(i) Namaqualand Coastal Duneveld Three major plant communities occur within this vegetation type, namely Zygophyllum cordifolium-Drosanthemum marinum, with Stoeberia beetzii-Wooleya farinosa on flat, shallow sands and Zygophyllum morgsana-Arctotis (merxmuelleri) scullyi characterising the community on unstable and semi-stable white dunes (Le Roux, 1991). The Wooleya farinosa-Stoeberia beetzii community described by Le Roux (1991) is restricted to the coastline between Hondeklipbaai and Kleinzee, and occurs on shallow sand over calcrete. Wooleya is considered as rare as a result of the impacts from diamond mining in the area. The succulent "window plant" Fenestraria rhopalophylla subsp. aurantiaca was found, which is a southern Namibian species known to occur at Kleinzee but has been observed growing in the backshore gravel plains/loose sands at Samsonsbak. Several other Namibian endemics may occur in this vegetation type.

(ii) Namaqualand Seashore Vegetation The seashore vegetation is characterised as an ecotone between the coast and inland systems, as it includes a variety of distinct communities ranging from near-

30 Irreplaceable is defined as impossible to replace.

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shore single beaches and "gravel-plain" type communities to semi-mobile beach cordon dune fields and mobile headland bypass dunes.

(b) Invertebrate Fauna

Previous studies undertaken identified the following invertebrates species at Brazil (Picker, 2007):

• The site has good representation of the following: • Scorpions (Prendini, 2005); • Neuroptera (including Nemopteridae) (Tjeder, 1967); • Hopliini (monkey beetles)(Colville unpub. data); • Ground beetles (Tenebrionidae); and • Certain fly families (e.g. Mydaidae – Hesse, 1969). • The site has one Red Data Listed butterfly species (Chrysoritis trimeni) (Ball, 2006).

Local endemism in the above-mentioned groups is rated as high whilst the pristine nature of the site, in relation to surrounding habitat, has been destroyed by strip mining (the site is scarred by a few small exploration mining pits). There is fairly low species turnover on the north-south gradient, and the region is one of local endemism for the insect fauna of the Succulent Karoo (Picker, 2007).

Brazil is situated within the Succulent Karoo biome, which is a region of exceptional biodiversity and endemism for an arid zone. The Succulent Karoo biome was identified as a global Biodiversity Hotspot by Conservation International (CI; www.biodiversityhotspots.org), and is the focus of a South African initiative, the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP) based at SANBI (www.skep.org).

Features of special significance with respect to species and ecosystem processes at Brazil include the following (Harrison, 2007):

• Amphibians: - The Desert Rain Frog Breviceps macrops (Vulnerable) is a threatened, range-restricted endemic species under threat from diamond- mining activities; • Reptiles: - Several potentially threatened endemic species occur in the district; • Birds: - Several range-restricted terrestrial endemic species occur in the district, but none are threatened. Several threatened seabird species occur on the coast. Ludwig’s Bustard Neotis ludwigii (Vulnerable) and several species of raptor, some of which are threatened, are among the species which could be problematic in terms of interactions with electrical installations; • Mammals: - Two threatened species of golden mole may occur on site, namely Grant’s Golden Mole Erimitalpa granti and De Winton’s Golden Mole Crytochloris wintoni; and • Ecosystem processes: - The relatively simple, homogeneous nature of the site, together with the absence of any wetlands or watercourses, indicates that the local ecosystem is not particularly vulnerable to disruption through fragmentation or the erection of barriers. However, given the aridity of the system, it is slow to recover from disturbance, and the potential for rehabilitation is poor.

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(d) Hydrology

Several quaternary catchments exist within the 20 km radius of Brazil (Figure 24), namely:

• Catchment F20E to the north; • Catchment F30G also to the north and drained by the Buffels River; • Catchment F40A within which the Brazil site is situated; and • Catchment F40D to the south drained by the Swartlintjies River.

Figure 24: Surface water catchments associated with the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites (SRK, 2007a)

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Table 12 summarises certain key catchments characteristics for the above-mentioned catchments.

Table 12: Catchment characteristics of Brazil Catchments Gross Mean Mean Mean MAP- NET Gross Coefficient Area Annual Annual Annual MAR MAR MAR of (km²) Evaporation Precipitation Runoff RESP (106m3) (106m3) Variation (MAE) (MAP) (MAR) (CV) (mm) (mm) (mm) F20E 435 2100 92 0.4 6 0.2 0.2 1.827 F30G 980 2200 102 0.3 6 0.2 0.3 2.588 F40A 984 1900 118 0.4 6 0.0 0.4 1.358 F40D 741 1900 123 0.4 6 0.2 0.3 1.343

(i) Surface water features The following general comments relating to surface water features (and their potential use) can be made at this preliminary stage:

• The area is characterised with very low rainfall (MAP < 130 mm). This scarcity of rain implies that no meaningful surface water features are relevant; • The Buffels River (north of Brazil) and Swartlintjies River (south of Schulpfontein) are both non-perennial rivers; and • Existing schemes provide water from the Orange River, with the take-off point at Henkries. In the event that the proposed NPS utilizes surface water as a source, the existing supply source will require an upgrade.

(ii) Storm water run off Table 12 above indicates the gross and net mean annual runoff (MAR) for primary watercourses draining nearby catchments.

(e) Freshwater Supply

(i) Local Authority Supply The Brazil site falls within the Lower Orange Water Management Area (WMA). According to DWAF’s (2004) National Water Resource Strategy projections, there is no allowance for water requirements for power generation within this specific WMA. The area in which Brazil is located is generally devoid of substantial surface water sources. In addition, underground water is not a viable source of raw water.

Obtaining water from the Orange River would require not only construction of a new pipeline from Kleinzee, but also upgrading of the pipeline from Springbok to Kleinzee or that from Alexander Bay to Port Nolloth and a pipeline from Port Nolloth to the Site. Future investigations with regards to water supply must consider possible future industrial demand in the upper catchments and potential agricultural use on the Namibian side of the river (Eskom, 1994).

(ii) Community Supply The local communities of Koiingnaas and Hondeklip Bay are supplied by groundwater from the Schulpfontein-Noup Aquifer. Kleinzee is supplied from the Orange River.

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(iii) Water Quality Orange River water is of good quality and is treated by filtration, deflocculation and chlorination.

(iv) Desalination A ready supply of seawater is available at Brazil. A cost effective water supply to the site could be assured through the implementation of desalination. Disposal of brine from the desalination process would have an impact on marine ecology that would require investigation.

(f) Freshwater ecology

The arid climate associated with Brazil limits the occurrence of natural surface water. Wetland systems specifically associated with arid environments are characterised by ephemeral to strongly seasonal water bodies, which occur in the form of shallow, usually perched pans or pools, or as concavities on rocks. The water bodies are generally associated with high evaporation rates, which result in the formation of brackish to saline water quality. Faunal species, which inhabit the above-mentioned water bodies, are specifically adapted to survive long periods of drought, heat and to respond rapidly to often brief periods of inundation.

The above-mentioned wetland habitats occur as rare features in the landscape and provide habitat for a variety of local and migratory fauna. As a result, the wetland habitats are considered of high conservation importance. At this stage, no wetland habitats of any kind are believed to occur on or near the proposed power plant terraces.

(g) Oceanography

The following aspects are applicable to the Schulpfontein site and for the purposes of this report, were assumed as similar to that of the Brazil site based on their physical proximity.

Details pertaining to the sea state, sea level and the diffuse attenuation co-efficient31 will be outlined in the EIA Report. Information pertaining to the sea surface temperature and chlorophyll a32 concentrations are outlined below.

(i) Sea surface temperature (SST) The mean SST of the Brazil site ranges between 14.0°C to 14.5°C. The minimum and maximum SST values are 12.3°C and 16°C, respectively.

31 Diffuse attenuation coefficient provides a measure of the amount of radiant energy emitted from the ocean at a wavelength of 490 nano metres. The measurement is interpreted as the depth at which the incoming sunlight is attenuated to one percent of the surface value and thereby provides an indication of the clarity of the water. 32 Chlorophyll a is the amount of pigment, in milligrams per cubic metre, measured from the visible spectrum of a spectrometer on board a satellite. Chlorophyll a provides an indication of the level of productivity of the coastal ocean.

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(ii) Mean chlorophyll a Monthly satellite averages for the period 2003 to 2006 indicate that the mean chlorophyll a values are high, exceeding 10 mg.m-3. High chlorophyll a concentrations imply biologically productive seawater, which has implications for enhanced biological growth and bio-fouling33 of the sea water intake. This is a situation that has had to be managed at Koeberg since its inception.

(h) Marine biology

The site is situated on a remote stretch of wave-exposed rocky shore coastline forming the centre of the Namaqua Bioregion, which is characterised by low species richness, very low endemicity and very high productivity. Very few localised endemic invertebrates are known from the region (Awad et al., 2002) and no known threatened or endangered marine species occur therein. There are no special biological features recognised by Jackson and Lipschitz (1984), although the large seal colony at Kleinzee lies about 13 km to the north of the Brazil site and a significant embayment, Jakkalsbaai, is located to the north.

The exposed rocky shore is heavily colonised by populations of the invasive Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and a variety of other harvestable resources, such as rock lobster and kelp. Recreational fishing and Cray fishing occur and washed up kelp is regularly collected from the shore.

(i) Air quality

Emissions data are not available at this stage and ambient air quality was not measured. However, the site is located in a relatively pristine environment and thus the air pollutant concentrations are considered low.

6.1.3 Socio-economic

(a) Population

This site falls within the Nama Khoi District Municipality in the Northern Cape. Population density in the area is low (Figure 25) and a decrease in the population for the municipality occurred over a 5-year period, as the 1996 and 2001 census results showed a total population of 44836 and 44750, respectively.

33 The undesirable accumulation of microrganisms, plants, algae, and animals on submerged structures.

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Figure 25: Population density (population per km2) for the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites and surrounding regions (Burger, 2007)

(b) Surrounding Land use

Several small mining towns, such as Springbok; Kleinzee; Hondeklipbaai; and Port Nolloth, surround the site (Figure 26). The surrounding coastal areas are primarily used for diamond mining by De Beers Consolidated Mines (Ltd). The surrounding towns of Kleinzee and Koiingnaas mainly house the diamond mining industry staff. Springbok is largest town located 100 km northeast of the site. The inland areas are utilised mainly for farming.

Figure 26: Land use associated with the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites as well as surrounding regions (Burger, 2007)

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According to Dippenaar (2007), the site is located in the Namakwa District Municipality in the Northern Cape. It is in a semi-arid area far from large metropoles. Population density in the area is low, and total population is approximately 110,000. The labour force consists of 41,000 people, of whom 31,500 are employed and 9,500 unemployed. Figure 27 provides an indication of the sectoral composition of the economy around the Brazil area.

Maasdorp (2007b) identified the following local Authorities as part of the economic impact region:

• Garies Local Municipality and Springbok Local Municipality - Although Garies is some distance away from Brazil, it could benefit if Brazil is selected, particularly in terms of employment and upgrading of infrastructure. • Nama Khoi Local Municipality - The area can benefit from improved road infrastructure and other services.

Figure 27: Economic sectoral composition associated with the areas surrounding the Brazil site (Dippenaar, 2007) (d) Human health

The site is very remote and the only activities in the area seem to be extensive alluvial diamond mining in the coastal dunes by De Beers Namaqualand Mines. Diamond mining started in the late 1920s on the farm Kleyne Zee. The town of Kleinzee has since evolved into a modern town serving the personnel of the mine.

The following aspects of the sites are important in the evaluation of potential impacts on human health as a result of establishment of a nuclear facility in the area:

• The NSIP report for the site (Eskom, 1994b) mentions that the Brazil site, which at the time of the report belonged to the State, was the only stretch of coast accessible to the public; • The report further mentions a unconfirmed land claim by the Kommagas community on the site for agricultural purposes; • Agricultural activities, which would presumably be grazing of animals, present potential impacts on human health through the air and food pathways; • Subsistence fishing in the ocean may also contribute to exposures through the food radionuclide pathway;

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• The Kleinzee/Koingnaas area has recently been opened to limited tourism. • As a result of the Strandveld area’s location within the restricted diamond mining areas, it is relatively unspoilt and is therefore currently marketed, as a tourism destination, by the De Beers group; and • Impacts on human health are possible through the air and food pathways.

(e) Agriculture

No agricultural activities were identified within a 20 km study area radius of the site (Maasdorp, 2007a).

(f) Noise

Surrounding sensitive noise receptors were not identified to date.

(g) Visual and aesthetics

The semi-succulent sparsely spaced Namaqualand vegetation covers the landform that gently elevates at an almost uniform slope of 1:75 near the shore to 1:25 to the coast road. The land slope from the road to the coast has slight undulations, particularly along the coastal road, which provides an effective screen to some views of the coast over short distances when travelling north or south along the coastal road.

(h) Cultural and historical heritage aspects

Brazil was partially surveyed by archaeologists from the UCT in 1991. The area was considered as archaeologically rich with no less than 46 Late Stone Age (LSA) shell middens located within 200 m of the shore during a very short survey. The archaeology of the area appears to be restricted to LSA middens with little evidence of earlier material found.

Namaqualand’s archaeological sites tend to be be small in size, close to the surface and highly concentrated along the coast. Although heritage and cultural resources are numerous, mitigation has been successfully carried out on several hundred sites threatened by mining operations. During the NSIP survey, the heritage of the area was considered as medium significance and mitigation was considered feasible.

Aspects of the site that are not well understood or documented include:

• The colonial history of the Brazil site has not been researched and its significance and/or relevance is not understood; • The palaeontology of the site is unstudied, although mine geologists have informal knowledge of marine palaeontology manifested in deep mining excavations in the area; and • There are no records of historical shipwrecks or fishtraps located in the coastal zone.

(i) Tourism

The site is surrounded by several small mining towns, such as Springbok, Kleinsee, Hondeklipbaai and Port Nolloth. The main economic activities are seasonal tourism and mining (Maasdorp, 2007c). According to (Maasdorp, 2007c) there is no significant tourism industry in the areas surrounding Brazil. There is one small B&B

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facility in the immediate vicinity of the site. It is located at Houthoop, but receives very few tourists. This area is not well linked into the famous Namaqualand flower tourism industry, but has the potential to become linked in future.

In total around 25 businesses were identified. These were mainly concentrated in the towns of Port Nolloth and Springbok. There were one or two establishments in Kleinsee, Koniingnas, Okiep and Garies.

(j) Accessibility

The closest commercial harbour and airport to the Brazil site is in Cape Town. Saldanha Bay harbour, which is primarily used for the exporting of iron ore as a bulk export port, is located approximately 650 km from the Brazil site.

Springbok has a light aircraft landing strip and the closest railway station is located in Bitterfontien, 170 km south of Springbok. The road network is the dominant means of transport in this area. The N7 runs in a north-south direction linking the main towns in Northern Cape and the Western Cape as well as Vaalputs, which is located west of the N7. A surfaced road, constructed by De Beers, is located along the coast between Kleinzee and Koiingnaas. The road is access controlled at Koiingnaas.

The N7 can be accessed from the Brazil site via two routes. The shortest route is via Kleinzee along the R355 to Springbok, which is located along the N7. The section of the R355 linking Springbok and Kleinzee at the turn off to Kommaggas, is currently surfaced. The second route is south via Koiingnaas and Wallekraal to Garies, which is located along the N7. The roads along this route are currently unsurfaced.

6.2 Schulpfontein Site

6.2.1 Physical

(a) Location

Schulpfontein is situated in the Hondeklipbaai / Kleinzee area located 30 km south of the Brazil site, also within the jurisdiction of the Nama-Khoi Municipality, West Coast ْ Division (Figure 28). The site has the following co-ordinates: 30 ْ 6’ 3.27’’ S and 17 11’ 10.69’’ E. The Schulpfontein site is situated approximately 500 km north of Cape Town and 100 km southwest of Springbok. Kleinzee is located 45 km north, Koiingnaas is 20 km south and Kamieskroon is located 90 km southeast of the Schulpfontein.

Nuclear 1 EIA: Final Scoping Report Eskom Holdings Limited 6-19 Issue 1.0 / July 2008