The Improvement of National Route R63 Sections 15 and 16 from Bhisho (Km 5.8) to the N6 Bridge Intersection (Km 1.0)
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL SPECIALIST STUDY In terms of Section 38(8) of the NHRA for The Improvement Of National Route R63 Sections 15 And 16 From Bhisho (km 5.8) To The N6 Bridge Intersection (km 1.0) Prepared by In Association with Terreco April 2018 THE INDEPENDENT PERSON WHO COMPILED A SPECIALIST REPORT OR UNDERTOOK A SPECIALIST PROCESS I Karen van Ryneveld, as the appointed independent specialist hereby declare that I: • act/ed as the independent specialist in this application; • regard the information contained in this report as it relates to my specialist input/study to be true and correct, and • do not have and will not have any financial interest in the undertaking of the activity, other than remuneration for work performed in terms of the NEMA, the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010 and any specific environmental management Act; • have and will not have no vested interest in the proposed activity proceeding; • have disclosed, to the applicant, EAP and competent authority, any material information that have or may have the potential to influence the decision of the competent authority or the objectivity of any report, plan or document required in terms of the NEMA, the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010 and any specific environmental management Act; • am fully aware of and meet the responsibilities in terms of NEMA, the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010 (specifically in terms of regulation 17 of GN No. R. 543) and any specific environmental management Act, and that failure to comply with these requirements may constitute and result in disqualification; • have ensured that information containing all relevant facts in respect of the specialist input/study was distributed or made available to interested and affected parties and the public and that participation by interested and affected parties was facilitated in such a manner that all interested and affected parties were provided with a reasonable opportunity to participate and to provide comments on the specialist input/study; • have ensured that the comments of all interested and affected parties on the specialist input/study were considered, recorded and submitted to the competent authority in respect of the application; • have ensured that the names of all interested and affected parties that participated in terms of the specialist input/study were recorded in the register of interested and affected parties who participated in the public participation process; • have provided the competent authority with access to all information at my disposal regarding the application, whether such information is favourable to the applicant or not; and • am aware that a false declaration is an offence in terms of regulation 71 of GN No. R. 543. Signature of the specialist CTS Heritage and ArchaeoMaps 2018-04-12 Date 2 CTS Heritage 34 Harries Street, Plumstead, Cape Town, 7800 Tel: (021) 0130131 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ctsheritage.com EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT TITLE: Archaeological specialist study in terms of Section 38(8) of the NHRA for the improvement of National Route R63 Sections 15 And 16 from Bhisho (km 5.8) to the N6 Bridge intersection (km 1.0). DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: This application is for the improvement of National Route R63 Sections 15 and 16 from Bhisho (km 5.8) to the N6 Bridge intersection (km 1.0). The project covers the last 22.7 km of Section 15 of National Route R63 plus the first kilometre of Section 16, i.e. a total length of 23.7 km. This section consists of a single carriageway rural highway. The proposal is to upgrade the existing road using 10 borrow pit / quarry sites (to be established). SUMMARY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESULTS: 1. Site R63-15-S1 – Colonial Period: Church – S32°41’57.4”; E27°32’52.1” 2. Site R63-15-S2 – Contemporary Period: Border Post – S32°43’07.3”; E27°30’42.5” 3. Site R63-15-S3 – Colonial Period: Farmstead Remains – S32°46’19.3”; E27°23’52.5” 4. Site R63-15-S4 – Later Iron Age: Cemetery – S32° 47’19.0”; E27°29’23.5” 5. Site R63-15-S5 – Contemporary Period: Structure Foundation Remains – S32°47’55.9”; E27°29’28.3” 6. Site R63-15-S6 – Colonial Period: Railway Platform Remains – S32°47’57.3”; E27°29’42.5” FULL RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended that the proposed improvement of the National Route R63 Sections 15 and 16 from Bhisho (km 5.8) to the N6 Bridge intersection (km 1.0), including the utilization of 10 borrow pit / quarry sites proceeds as applied for provided the developer comply with the below listed heritage recommendations: ● Road alignment – N6 bridge (S32°41’44.3”; E27°33’49.3”) to Bhisho (S32°50’38.8”; E27°26’19.1”) ➢ Site R63-15-S1 (S 32°41’57.4”; E27°32’52.1”) comprises a Colonial Period church, situated along the proposed road alignment. Formal conservation measures, including a permanent fence with access gate are in place. No additional conservation measures are required on behalf of the developer for development purposes. ➢ Site R63-15-S2 (S32°43’07.3”; E27°30’42.5”) comprises the remains of the former Ciskei – South African border post. Originally constructed in 1981, the site has been demolished 3 CTS Heritage 34 Harries Street, Plumstead, Cape Town, 7800 Tel: (021) 0130131 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ctsheritage.com to floor level. The site does not receive formal protection status for buildings under the NHRA 1999. Based on its demolished state it is inferred that the site holds little to no affectionate significance for the resident community in terms of South Africa’s political history. Removal of the demolished structure can proceed without the developer having to comply with additional heritage compliance requirements. It is recommended that the developer constructs a plinth with the wording ‘Border Post’ as close to the original locale of site to the road as permitted within road legislation and regulations and with cognizance to visibility and safe road usage. ➢ The developer need not comply with additional heritage compliance requirements prior to impact on culverts, drainage channels or any of the bridges affected. ● Borrow pits / Quarry sites ➢ The Site R63-15-S3 (S32°46’19.3”; E27°23’52.5”) situated in close proximity to Quarry 15 comprise Colonial Period farmstead remains including structure and infrastructural remains. No conservation measures are in place. It is recommended that conservation measures, either temporary or permanent, as will be most practical with reference to the duration of use of Quarry 15 be implemented prior to use of the quarry. ➢ Site R63-15-S4 (S32°47’19.0”; E27°29’23.5”) comprises an informal Later Iron Age cemetery, situated on route to Borrow Pit 16. No conservation measures are in place. It is recommended that the site be permanently fenced with an access gate prior to the start of construction, thereby ensuring that heritage conservation measures meet SAHRA / EC PHRA minimum standards for heritage site conservation. ➢ Site R63-15-S5 (S32°47’55.9”; E27°29’28.3”) comprises contemporary structure foundation remains associated with former use of Quarry 3. Foundation remains are not formally protected by the NHRA 1999. Impact thereon by development or proximity thereof to development does not trigger any heritage compliance requirements. ➢ Site R63-15-S6 (S 32°47’57.3”; E27°29’42.5”) constitutes the Colonial Period remains of a railway platform in the north-eastern corner of the proposed Quarry 3 site. The Site R63-15-S6 remains are formally protected by the NHRA 1999. The developer should apply for an EC PHRA Built Environment site destruction permit prior to any impact on the railway remains. Alternatively, an approximate 15m conservation barrier should be maintained around these features to ensure their conservation within the development framework. The heritage conservation area should be permanently fenced with an access gate and permanent signage be erected indicating the area as a ‘Heritage Site’. 4 CTS Heritage 34 Harries Street, Plumstead, Cape Town, 7800 Tel: (021) 0130131 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ctsheritage.com ➢ No additional heritage compliance requirements pertain to establishment of Quarry 17 (S32°42’01.2”; E27°32’30.9”), Borrow Pit 14 (S32°45’15.5”; E27°29’28.5”), Borrow Pit 13 (S32°45’37.6”; E27°29’16.3”), Borrow Pit 30 (S32°45’31.9”; E27°28’57.3”), Borrow Pit 7 (S32°46’24.9”; E27°27’27.2”), Borrow Pit 6 (S32°47’25.2”; E27°27’21.9”), Borrow Pit 16 (S32°47’38.4”; E27°29’15.0”) and Quarry 2 (S32°47’56.2”; E27°29’08.5”). 5 CTS Heritage 34 Harries Street, Plumstead, Cape Town, 7800 Tel: (021) 0130131 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ctsheritage.com CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 7 1.1 Background Information on Project 7 1.2 Description of Property and Affected Environment 7 2. METHODOLOGY 8 2.1 Purpose of Archaeological Study 8 2.2 Summary of steps followed 8 3. HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE SITE AND CONTEXT 8 4. IDENTIFICATION OF HERITAGE RESOURCES 11 4.1 Field Assessment 11 4.2 Archaeological Resources identified 15 4.3 Selected photographic record 18 5. ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 26 5.1 Assessment of impact to Archaeological Resources 26 5.2 Proposed development alternatives 26 6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 26 7. REFERENCES 29 APPENDICES 30 1. Specialist CVs 6 CTS Heritage 34 Harries Street, Plumstead, Cape Town, 7800 Tel: (021) 0130131 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ctsheritage.com 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Information on Project This application is for the improvement of National Route R63 Sections 15 and 16 from Bhisho (km 5.8) to the N6 Bridge intersection (km 1.0).