Agency for Cultural Resource Management

Specialists in Archaeological Studies and Heritage Resource Management

5 Stuart Road Rondebosch 7700 Phone/Fax 021-685 7589 E-mail: [email protected] Cellular: 082 321 0172

25 May, 2012

Att: Ms Katie Smuts South African Heritage Resources Agency PO Box 4637 Cape Town 8000

Dear Ms Smuts,

RECOMMENDED EXEMPTION FROM HAVING TO CONDUCT AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY: PROPOSED EXPANSION OF THE RAASWATER AND LOUISVALE ROAD CEMETERIES, AND THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW KAROS CEMETERY NEAR UPINGTON IN THE NORTHERN CAPE

1. Introduction

The Khara Hais Municipality proposes to expand the existing Raaswater and Louisvale cemeteries, and establish a new cemetery in Karos, near Upington in the Northern Cape Province (Figure 1). The combined extent of the three cemeteries is about 7.5 ha. SAHRA has previously given exemption from conducting archaeological assessments for the proposed expansion of the Kameeldoring and Morning Glory cemeteries in Upington1 Exemption was based on the fact that the footprint areas for the cemeteries is severely degraded and the likelihood of recovering significant archaeological remains considered to be low.

2. Archaeological Background

The archaeology of the Northern Cape is rich and varied covering long spans of human history. According to Beaumont et al (1995:240) “thousands of square kilometres of Bushmanland are covered by a low density lithic scatter”. Not much work has been done in Upington itself, apart from an AIA for two small borrow pits on the northern bank of the Orange River near Uap, where small numbers of mainly banded iron stone Later Stone Age implements were found (Kaplan 2008). In recent months, a number of studies for proposed solar power farms have been undertaken in the Northern Cape, in Keimoes, about 20 kms south west of Upington, and in Kakamas, about 80kms south west of Upington (Kaplan 2012a, b). At both sites low density, isolated and dispersed scatters of tools, dominated by implements in banded iron stone were documented. Banded ironstone is known to have been a favoured raw material for making stone artefacts and occurs on a number of sites that have been documented by the archaeologist and others throughout the Northern Cape.

1 SAHRA letters dated 4 May, 2012 (Ref 9/2/032/0001)

1 As archaeological sites are concerned, however, most of these occurrences are lacking in context as no organic remains such as bone, pottery or ostrich eggshell was found. The implements occur on eroded surfaces, are of mixed age (both Later and Middle Stone Age), lack spatial context and integrity, and are consequently of low archaeological significance.

3. Karos cemetery

The proposed Karos cemetery (on Erf 44) has a footprint area of 1.3 ha (Figure 2). According to the Basic Assessment Report (BAR) produced by PHS Consulting, the proposed site is already very disturbed and impacted. Figures 1, 2 and 6 in the BAR show the heavily impacted nature of the site. The proposed site has been bulldozed and the topsoil cleared in preparation for a nearby cemetery, and a waste site. The affected site constitutes a severely transformed landscape. The land surrounding the site is characterised by both informal housing and low cost housing. The proposed new Karos cemetery will be located close to the existing informal housing development.

4. Raaswater cemetery

The proposed expansion of the Raaswater cemetery (on Erf 2746) will have a footprint area of less than 0.7 ha (Figure 3). According to the BAR by PHS Consulting, the site abuts an increasingly growing township with much informal dumping occurring on the site. Surrounding land use is informal and formal housing.

5. Louisvale Road cemetary

The proposed expansion of the Louisvale Road (on Erf 456 Olyvensdrift) will have a footprint area of 5.5 ha (Figure 4). According to the BAR the site is highly impacted and contains some urban activity such as informal roads and pathways. Figure 3 in the BAR shows a large part of the proposed site has been cleared of natural vegetation and flattened, and Figures 4, 5 and 7 indicate the disturbed nature of the proposed site and the receiving environment. The site abuts an increasingly growing township with informal dumping occurring on the site as well (Paul Slabbert pers. comm.). The site constitutes a fairly severely transformed landscape.

6. Potential for locating archaeological remains on the Karos, Louisvale Road and Raaswater cemetery sites

While it is likely that some archaeological heritage (i. e. stone implements) will be encountered on the affected properties, especially on the proposed Louisvale Road site which has a larger footprint area, it is maintained that these remains would comprise low density scatters, most likely occurring in a degraded context and consequently of low archaeological significance. It is also considered unlikely that many archaeological remains will be located on the proposed Raaswater site which is only 0.7 ha in extent.

7. Conclusion

It is the archaeologist’s professional opinion, that the construction of the new Karos cemetery and the proposed expansion of the existing cemeteries at Raaswater and Louisvale Road are not considered to pose a serious threat to the archaeological heritage for the following reasons:

 All three sites have already been heavily impacted.

 There are no streams, rivers, pans, or any other water sources in the proposed footprint area where one might expect more coherent archaeological remains to be found.

 There are no other significant landscape features such as hills, kopjes, ridges, rock outcroppings, or dolerite boulders in or close to the proposed footprint area where rock engraving, painted sites, or scatters of tools and other cultural items are more likely to occur.

8. Conclusions

Indications are that In terms of archaeological heritage, the affected properties are not a sensitive, vulnerable or threatened archaeological landscape

9. Recommendations

With regard to the proposed establishment of the Karos cemetery and the proposed expansion of the existing Raaswater and Louisvale cemeteries, the following recommendations are made:

 An Archaeological Impact Assessment of the proposed sites is not required, since the probability of locating any significant archaeological remains is likely to be low.

 The Environmental Control Officer must be briefed by the archaeologist prior to proposed earthworks commencing.

 In the event of any unmarked human burials or buried ostrich eggshell caches being uncovered during construction, these must immediately be reported to the archaeologist (Jonathan Kaplan 082 321 0172), or the South Africa Heritage Resources Agency (Att: Ms Katie Smuts 021 462 4502).

The above recommendations must be included in the required Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for each of the proposed developments.

Yours sincerely

Jonathan Kaplan

3 6. References

Beaumont, P.B. & Vogel, J.C. 1984. Spatial patterning of the ceramic Later Stone Age in the northern Cape Province, South Africa. In: Hall, M., Avery, G., Avery, D.M., Wilson, M.L. & Humphreys, A.J.B. (eds) Frontiers: southern African archaeology today: 80-95. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports International Series 207.

Kaplan, J. 2012. Archaeological Impact Assessment, the proposed Keren Energy Keimoes Solar Plant on Erf 1654, Kakamas. Report prepared for EnviroAfrica. ACRM Cape Town

Kaplan, J. 2012. Archaeological Impact Assessment, the proposed Keren Energy Keimoes Solar Plant on Erf 666, Keimoes. Report prepared for EnviroAfrica. ACRM Cape Town

Kaplan, J. 2008. An archaeological assessment of two borrow pits alongside DR3321 Uap, Northern Cape Province. Report prepared for Van Zyl Environmental Consultants. ACRM Riebeek West

4 Orange River

Karos Upington

Louisvale Road

Raaswater

Figure 1. Locality Plan

Figure 2. Footprint area for the proposed Karos Cemetery N

Figure 3. Footprint area for the proposed Raaswater Cemetery

Figure 4. Footprint area for the proposed Louisdale Cemetery