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Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd - Regulation 31 Amendment Process Fauna and Flora Specialist Study Prepared for: Project Number: Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd SWS6801 January 2021 Turnberry Office Park, Phone: +27 (0) 11 789 9495 Directors: J Leaver (Chairman)*, Digby Wells and Associates Digby Wells House. Fax: +27 (0) 11 789 9495 NA Mehlomakulu*, A Mpelwane, DJ Otto, (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd 48 Grosvenor Road, E-mail: [email protected] M Rafundisani Company Registration: 2010/008577/07 Bryanston,2191 Website: www.digbywells.com *Non-Executive This document has been prepared by Digby Wells Environmental. Report Type: Fauna and Flora Specialist Study Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd - Regulation 31 Project Name: Amendment Process Project Code: SWS6801 Name Responsibility Signature Date Field Specialist Lisa Hester and Report January 2021 Compiler Danie Otto Report Reviewer January 2021 (Pri.Sci.Nat) This report is provided solely for the purposes set out in it and may not, in whole or in part, be used for any other purpose without Digby Wells Environmental prior written consent. DIGBY WELLS ENVIRONMENTAL ii www.digbywells.com Fauna and Flora Specialist Study Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd - Regulation 31 Amendment Process SWS6801 DETAILS AND DECLARATION OF THE SPECIALIST Digby Wells and Associates (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd Contact person: Lisa Hester Contact person: Danie Otto Digby Wells House Tel: 011 789 9495 Turnberry Office Park Fax: 011 789 9498 48 Grosvenor Road E-mail: [email protected] Bryanston [email protected] 2191 Full name: Lisa Hester Title/ Position: Ecologist Qualification(s): BSc (Hons) Ecology Experience (years): 4 Registration(s): SACNASP: 125725 I, _Lisa Hester, declare that: – ● I act as the independent specialist in this application; ● I will perform the work relating to the application in an objective manner, even if this results in views and findings that are not favourable to the applicant; ● I declare that there are no circumstances that may compromise my objectivity in performing such work; ● I have expertise in conducting the specialist report relevant to this application, including knowledge of the Act, Regulations and any guidelines that have relevance to the proposed activity; ● I will comply with the Act, Regulations and all other applicable legislation; ● I have no, and will not engage in, conflicting interests in the undertaking of the activity; ● I undertake to disclose to the applicant and the competent authority all material information in my possession that reasonably has or may have the potential of influencing - any decision to be taken with respect to the application by the competent authority; and - the objectivity of any report, plan or document to be prepared by myself for submission to the competent authority; DIGBY WELLS ENVIRONMENTAL iii www.digbywells.com Fauna and Flora Specialist Study Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd - Regulation 31 Amendment Process SWS6801 ● All the particulars furnished by me in this form are true and correct; and ● I realise that a false declaration is an offence in terms of regulation 48 and is punishable in terms of section 24F of the Act. January 2021 Signature of the Specialist Date Findings, recommendations and conclusions provided in this report are based on the best available scientific methods and the author’s professional knowledge and information at the time of compilation. Digby Wells employees involved in the compilation of this report, however, accepts no liability for any actions, claims, demands, losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses arising from or in connection with services rendered, and by the use of the information contained in this document. No form of this report may be amended or extended without the prior written consent of the author and/or a relevant reference to the report by the inclusion of an appropriately detailed citation. Any recommendations, statements or conclusions drawn from or based on this report must clearly cite or make reference to this report. Whenever such recommendations, statements or conclusions form part of a main report relating to the current investigation, this report must be included in its entirety. DIGBY WELLS ENVIRONMENTAL iv www.digbywells.com Fauna and Flora Specialist Study Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd - Regulation 31 Amendment Process SWS6801 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd (Sweet Sensation) has an approved Mining Right (DMRE Ref. No. FS30/5/1/2/2/10018 MR) and Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) (DMRE Ref. No. FS30/5/1/2/2/10018EM), in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002) (MPRDA) and National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA). The Mining Right and EMPr were approved on 11 October 2016 and allow Sweet Sensation to undertake sand mining on the Remaining Extent (RE) of the Farm De Pont No. 228, situated in the Free State Province. The Mining Right Area (MRA) amounts to approximately 101.2877 hectares (ha), although only 95 ha is being mined. Sweet Sensation commenced with sand mining activities in 2017. The sand mine has a Life of Mine (LoM) of 22 years however the Mining Right will expire on 30 March 2026. Digby Wells Environmental (Digby Wells) was contracted by Sweet Sensation to submit an application for an Amendment of the approved EMPr in order to include screening into the mining process, which was previously not approved, aimed at improving efficiency and to maximise the saleable product. The application for amendment was submitted on 28 May 2020 to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) in accordance with Regulation 29(a) of the NEMA, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014 (GN R 982 of 4 December 2014 as amended). Several objections were subsequently received from the various I&APs. After receiving these objections, the DMRE required a Regulation 31 Amendment Process to be followed. This project, therefore, serves to apply for the inclusion of the screening process into the EMPr in accordance with a Regulation 31 Amendment Process. The fauna and flora specialist study was undertaken in support of this process. The Sweet Sensation Project Area is located 350 m from the Vaal River, under the jurisdiction of the Ngwathe Local Municipality, which is located in the Fezile Dabi District Municipality, Free State Province. The mining right boundary is located on the boundary of the Free State, Gauteng and North West Province. Residential communities are located nearby and on the opposite side of the Vaal River. The nearest community is Vaal Eden, Vaal Oewer and Lindequesdrif. The site is located approximately 20 km north-east of the town of Parys and 23 km north-west from the town of Sasolburg. The Project Area is located within the Grassland Biome of South Africa. The Grassland Biome is found chiefly on the high central plateau of South Africa, and the inland areas of KwaZulu- Natal and the Eastern Cape. Based on the Mucina and Rutherford (2006) delineation of South Africa’s vegetation, the region in which the study area is located is defined by one vegetation unit, the Soweto Highveld Grassland. The Soweto Highveld Grassland vegetation type is found in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and to a small extent in the Free State and North-West Provinces. DIGBY WELLS ENVIRONMENTAL v www.digbywells.com Fauna and Flora Specialist Study Sweet Sensation Vaal Sands (Pty) Ltd - Regulation 31 Amendment Process SWS6801 Two wet season infield flora assessments took place on the 4th of November 2020 and the 12th to 13th of January 2021. During the field survey, the area was surveyed for the various fauna assemblages and sensitive flora. A total of eight (8) mammal species were recorded during the infield assessment and the tracks of an African Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis) (Near Threatened) was observed near the northern boundary of the MRA by a seasonal pan. Other mammals included Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythus), Common Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia), Water Mongoose (Aitlax paludinosus), and Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris). Forty four (44) bird species were recorded in the Project Area during the November survey based on either direct observations or vocalisations. A number of these species are protected in the province and one species is listed as Near Threatened, namely the Chestnut-banded Plover (Charadrius pallidus) which was recorded near a seasonal pan in the northern boundary of the MRA. Other bird species included Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris), Eastern Clapper Lark (Mirafra fasciolata), Northern Black Korhaan (Afrotis afraoides) and African Fish Eagle (Hailaeetus vocifer). Two (2) species of herpetofauna species were recorded during the infield assessment. Tracks of a Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) and Common River Frog (Afrana angolensis) Tadpoles. Both listed as Least Concern. A total of twenty-five (25) invertebrate species were recorded and none of these are protected provincially, nationally or globally. Several Lepidoptera species were identified, namely, African Monarch Butterfly (Danaus chrysippus), Brown-veined White Butterfly (Belenois aurota), African Migrant Butterfly (Catopsilia florella), and Smoky Orange Tip Butterfly (Colotis euippe). High faunal activity was observed within various portions of the mine despite the ongoing mining operations (for approximately 3.5 years). Sensitive areas of faunal activity and locations of SCC have been delineated in a Sensitivity Map.
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