Heritage Impact Assessment

Heritage Impact Assessment Heritage Impact Assessments for the Proposed Construction of a New Slimes Dam at Koffiefontein Diamond Mine, Koffiefontein, Free State Province Prepared By: G&A Heritage Prepared For: i Koffiefontein Diamond Mine Expansion 07/03/2015 CREDIT SHEET Project Director STEPHAN GAIGHER (BA Hons, Archaeology, UP) Principal Investigator for G&A Heritage Member of ASAPA (Site Director Status) Tel.: (015) 516 1561 Cell.: 073 752 6583 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http:www.gaheritage.co.za Report Author STEPHAN GAIGHER Disclaimer; Although all possible care is taken to identify all sites of cultural importance during the investigation of study areas, it is always possible that hidden or sub-surface sites could be overlooked during the study. G&A Heritage and its personnel will not be held liable for such oversights or for costs incurred as a result of such oversights. Statement of Independence As the duly appointed representative of G&A Heritage, I Stephan Gaigher, hereby confirm my independence as a specialist and declare that neither I nor G&A Heritage have any interests, be it business or otherwise, in any proposed activity, application or appeal in respect of which the Environmental Consultant was appointed as Environmental Assessment Practitioner, other than fair remuneration for work performed on this project. SIGNED OFF BY: STEPHAN GAIGHER Koffiefontein Diamond Mine ii 07/03/2015 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Site name and location: Koffiefontein Diamond Mine, Koffiefontein, Free State Province. Municipal Area: Letsemeng Local Municipality. Developer: Petra Diamonds (Pty) Ltd Consultant: G&A Heritage, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa. 38A Vorster Str. Louis Trichardt, 0920 Date of Report: 07 March 2015 Management Summary The purpose of the management summary is to distil the information contained in the report into a format that can be used to give specific results quickly and facilitate management decisions. It is not the purpose of the management summary to repeat in shortened format all the information contained in the report, but rather to give a statement of results for decision making purposes. This study focuses on the constrcution of a new slimes dam at the Koffiefontein Diamond Mine, near Koffiefontein in the Free State Province. The purpose of this study is to determine the possible occurrence of sites with cultural heritage significance within the study area and to evaluate the heritage significance of these sites as well as the possible impacts on such sites by the proposed development. Findings Some Late Stone Age tools were identified on site. One area could possibly contain burial sites and should be monitored during construction. Recommendations The LSA sites should be documented before mining commences. Specialists should be given the opportunity to collect the surface finds of LSA tools before construction. The excavation phase of the construction should be periodically monitored by a heritage specialist. Fatal Flaws No fatal flaws were identified. Koffiefontein Diamond Mine iii 07/03/2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS Management Summary .................................................................................... iii Introduction ....................................................................................................... 9 Background Information ................................................................................. 11 Koffiefontein Diamond Mine ............................................................................. 11 Site Location ...................................................................................................... 11 Project Description ............................................................................................ 12 Methodology ................................................................................................... 14 Evaluating Heritage Impacts ............................................................................ 14 Assessing Visual Impact ................................................................................... 14 Assumptions and Restrictions .......................................................................... 15 Regional Cultural Context .............................................................................. 16 Paleontology ..................................................................................................... 16 Stone Age .......................................................................................................... 16 Iron Age ............................................................................................................. 18 Type-R Settlements .......................................................................................... 18 The Historic Era ................................................................................................ 19 Previously Identified Sites ................................................................................ 23 The Pan Area .................................................................................................... 29 Kraals and Structures at Shotists Point 26 and 27 .......................................... 29 Register of Sites Identified ............................................................................. 30 Palaeontology ................................................................................................. 30 Archaeology .................................................................................................... 30 Stone Age Sites ................................................................................................ 30 Site 001 ............................................................................................................. 30 Site 002 ............................................................................................................. 34 Possible High Risk Areas ................................................................................. 36 Koffiefontein Diamond Mine iv 07/03/2015 Built Environment .............................................................................................. 39 Assessment of Heritage Potential .................................................................. 41 Assessment Matrix ........................................................................................... 41 Determining Heritage Sensitivity ...................................................................... 41 Significance ..................................................................................................... 42 Historic Significance .......................................................................................... 43 Spatial Significance ........................................................................................... 43 Evaluating Significance .................................................................................. 43 Cultural Landscape ........................................................................................... 45 Impact Evaluation ........................................................................................... 46 Determination of Significance of Impacts ........................................................ 47 Impact Rating System ...................................................................................... 47 Rating System Used To Classify Impacts ....................................................... 47 Anticipated Impact of the Development ......................................................... 50 Archaeology ...................................................................................................... 50 Resource Management Recommendations .................................................. 51 Site 001 & 002 ................................................................................................... 51 Sensitive Areas (Possible Burial Sites) ............................................................ 52 Unknown Sites .................................................................................................. 52 References Cited ............................................................................................ 53 Koffiefontein Diamond Mine v 07/03/2015 List of Abbreviations Bp ............................................................................................... Before Present EIA ................................................................................................ Early Iron Age ESA .......................................................................................... Early Stone Age Fm ..................................................................................... Femtometre (10-15m) GPS ................................................................. Geographic Positioning System HIA ....................................................................... Heritage Impact Assessment LIA ................................................................................................. Late Iron Age LSA ........................................................................................... Late Stone Age MYA ....................................................................................... Million Years Ago MSA ....................................................................................... Middle Stone Age NHRA ..................................... National Heritage Resources Act no 22 of 1999 SAHRA ...........................................

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