ETC-Africa CC Po Box 522 Richards Bay 3900 Richards Bay South Africa Phone: +27 (72) 4760396
[email protected] www.etc-africa.com.za BACKGROUND INFORMATION DOCUMENT: BASIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED PONGOLA TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT ON PORTION 419 OF THE FARM NO. 61, PONGOLA, KWAZULU-NATAL WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT? The purpose of this document is to: Inform Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) about the proposed project, and to invite them to participate; Provide a brief background on the proposed project; and Explain the aims and objectives of the Basic Assessment. WHAT IS PROPOSED? An application will been submitted to the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs on behalf of uPhongolo Local Municipality, Environmental Authorisation for a proposed township development within uPhongolo Local Municipality. The site is 19 hectares in area and is approximately 7 km (by road) from Pongola town. The township development will be comprised of: • High density housing (280 units) • Public open spaces; • A creche; • A place of worship (church); • A business center; • Associated infrastructure (roads, stormwater, sanitation, electricity) In terms of Listing Notice 1 (GNR R983) promulgated in 2014 under The National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998), EIA Regulations 2014, listed activities will be triggered by this development and therefore requires a Basic Assessment report to be submitted to KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. The listed activities triggered by the proposed development are as follows: Listing Notice 1: Activity 28; Residential, mixed, retail, commercial, industrial or institutional developments where such land was used for agriculture or afforestation on or after 01 April 1998 and where such development: (ii) will occur outside an urban area, where the total land to be developed is bigger than 1 hectare; Listing Notice 1.