HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT & PALAEONTOLOGICAL DESK ASSESSMENT ON THE FARM WATERFORD 246 & REMAINING EXTENT OF THE FARM ZOETGAT 84 NEAR HOPETOWN, NORTHERN CAPE Prepared by Edward Matenga (PhD Archaeology & Heritage, MPhil, Archaeology; Uppsala/Sweden) Thursday, 23 July 2020 (AHSA) Archaeological and Heritage Services Africa (Pty) Ltd Reg. No. 2016/281687/07 48 Jacqueline Street, The Reeds, 0157, Centurion, Pretoria Email: [email protected]. Cell: +27 73 981 0637 / +2784 073 7774 Website: www.archaeologicalheritage.co.za DOCUMENTS CONTROL 1 APPLICANT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT THUNDERFLEX 78 (PTY) LTD Wadala Mining and Consulting (Pty) Ltd Name Signature Date FIELD WORK & REPORT E. Matenga 30 March 2020 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AHSA Pty Ltd is an independent consultancy: I hereby declare that I have no interest, be it business, financial, personal or other vested interest in the undertaking of the proposed activity, other than fair remuneration for work performed, in terms the National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999). DISCLAIMER All possible care was taken to identify and document heritage resources during the survey in accordance with best practices in archaeology and heritage management. However it is always possible that some hidden or subterranean sites are overlooked during a survey. AHSA will not be held liable for such oversights and additional costs thereof. ___________________________ Full Name: Edward J. Matenga Title / Position: Heritage Management Consultant Qualifications: PhD (Archaeology & Heritage, Uppsala University, Sweden), MPhil (Uppsala), Certificate in the Integrated Conservation of Territories and Landscapes of Heritage Value (ICCROM, Rome) 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. This following is Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) Report which has been prepared in support of a mine prospecting right application on the farms Waterford 246 and Remaining Extent of the Farm Zoetgat 84 located outside Hopetown in the Thembelihle Local Municipality, Northern Cape Province. A project of this scale triggers a Phase I HIA in terms of Section 38(8) of the National Heritage Resources Act (25/1999). This entailed a site visit and ground survey on 11-12 March 2020 during which the heritage sensitivity and potential adverse impacts of the proposed activities were assessed. 2. The findings of the study are summarised as follows: 3. The Stone Age On the farm Waterford 246 Stone Age material occurs on the shoulder of the Orange River Valley and on the plain beyond. On the farm Zoetgat 84 Stone tools were recorded in three places. On both farms the material comprises scrapers, blades, cores and flakes typologically dating to the Middle Stone Age/Late Stone Age period. Flaked cores indicate manufacturing, but no concentrations of artefacts were observed. Overall, the distribution pattern seems to indicate general hunter-gatherer activity in the area over time. None of the sites found warrant further action. 4. The Iron Age No sites dating to the Iron Age were found. 5. Commercial Farming There are some building of interest at the farmstead (WFD01) which will not be affected by the proposed development. At the old farmstead there are three ruined buildings which may be of historic significance (WFD30). There are no compelling reasons to affect this buildings. 6. Burial grounds No burial grounds or graves were reported. 7. Ranking of sites and Risk Assessment 3 RANKING SIGNIFICANCE NO OF SITES 1 High National and Provincial heritage sites (Section 7 of 0 NHRA). All burials including those protected under Section 36 of NHRA. They must be protected. 2 Medium A Substantial archaeological deposits, buildings protected 0 under Section 34 of NHRA. Footprint of early modern mining. Cultural Landscapes. These may be protected at the recommendations of a heritage expert. 3 Medium B Sites exhibiting archaeological characteristics of the 34 area, but do not warrant further action after they have been documented. 4 Low Heritage sites which have been recorded, but 1 considered of minor importance relative to the proposed development. TOTAL 35 4 8. Table 1: Inventory of heritage sites. SITE NO LATITUDE LONGITUDE PERIOD DESCRIPTION RANKING MITIGATION WFD01 29°34'14.00"S 24° 6'19.40"E 20th C Waterford farmstead may date to the mid-20th C. Medium B Will not be affected Stonewalled cattle pen, a shed with barrel roof. Main house with a hipped roof of corrugated iron sheets. WFD02 29°33'38.00"S 24° 4'48.00"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain north of the Orange River valley. Grit. 3 Medium B No further action lithics – 2 scrapers, 1 flake. required WFD03 29°33'36.50"S 24° 4'40.40"E MSA/LSA Shoulder of a stream valley, short stream running south Medium B No further action into the Orange River. Gritty surface. 6 lithics = 3 quartz required scrapers, 1 quartz blade, 2 flakes WFD04 29°33'34.50"S 24° 4'37.80"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, north of the Orange River valley. 7 lithics – Medium B No further action 2 blades, 2 scrapers, 2 flakes, 1 core required WFDO5 29°33'30.90"S 24° 4'37.40"E MSA/LSA Shoulder of a stream valley, short stream running south Medium B No further action into the Orange River. Gritty surface. 5 lithics = 2 required scrapers, 3 blades. WFD06 29°33'25.60"S 24° 4'14.00"E MSA/LSA A promontory on the shoulder the Orange River Valley. Medium B No further action 4 lithics – 1 scraper, 2 blades, 1 core required WFD07 29°33'30.90"S 24° 4'12.90"E Modern Promontory facing the Orange River. Modern rock Medium B No further action engraving required WFD08 29°33'27.80"S 24° 4'15.50"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain on the edge of a short stream running Medium B No further action south into the Orange River. 7 lithics – 4 blades, 4 required flakes. WFD09 29°33'23.90"S 24° 4'17.30"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, gritty surface. 5 lithics – 1 core, 2 blades, 2 Medium B No further action scrapers. required 5 WFD10 29°33'20.10"S 24° 4'17.20"E MSA/LSA Shoulder of a stream valley, short stream running into Medium B No further action the Orange River. Gritty surface. 4 Lithics – 3 scrapers, required 1 blade WFD11 29°33'23.60"S 24° 4'23.90"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, red-brown stones. 4lithics – 3 flakes, 1 Medium B No further action blade. required WFD12 29°33'25.50"S 24° 4'31.00"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, gritty surface. 3 lithics, 1 core, 2 blades Medium B No further action required WFD13 29°33'33.30"S 24° 4'35.80"E MSA/LSA Head of a short stream running south into the Orange Medium B No further action River. Gritty surface. 1 blade required WFD14 29°33'34.20"S 24° 4'41.40"E MSA/LSA Head of a short stream running south into the Orange Medium B No further action River. Gritty surface. 4 lithics – 2 scrapers, 2 blades required WFD15 29°33'32.30"S 24° 4'42.80"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, gritty surface. 1 core. Medium B No further action required WFD16 29°33'26.50"S 24° 4'46.20"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, fine grit, 3 lithics – 2 blades, 1 scraper Medium B No further action required WFD17 29°33'30.80"S 24° 4'43.80"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, fine grit. 3 lithics – 1 blade, 2 scrapers Medium B No further action required WFD18 29°34'1.50"S 24° 6'15.50"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, fine grit. 4 lithics – 2 scrapers, 2 blades Medium B No further action required WFD19 29°33'54.70"S 24° 6'14.60"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, treeless. Fine grit. 5 lithics – 2 scrapers Medium B No further action (extreme left & extreme right), 3 blades required WFD20 29°33'58.20"S 24° 6'10.90"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, no trees. 6 lithics – 2 scrapers, 4 blades Medium B No further action required WFD21 29°34'0.80"S 24° 6'12.80"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, no trees. 1 blade. No close up view Medium B No further action required WFD22 29°34'4.30"S 24° 6'15.80"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, calcrete waste and hardpan. 1 small Medium B No further action cleaver, 1 blade, 2 scrapers required WFD23 29°33'31.20"S 24° 6'24.80"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, no trees, 5 lithics – 1 crescent shaped Medium B No further action scraper, 2 scrapers, 1 blade required 6 WFD24 29°33'30.20"S 24° 6'19.10"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, grit, no trees, 6 lithics – 4 blades, 1 scraper, Medium B No further action 1 flake required WFD25 29°33'25.40"S 24° 6'19.20"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, grit, no trees, 6 lithics – 3 blades, 3 Medium B No further action scrapers required WFD26 29°33'27.80"S 24° 6'25.10"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, calcrete grit, no trees. 2 scrapers Medium B No further action required Medium B No further action WFD27 29°33'5.10"S 24° 6'11.50"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, no trees. 3 lithics – 2 scrapers, 1 blade required WFD28 29°33'11.60"S 24° 6'13.20"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, no trees, calcrete waste. 1 scraper, 1 small Medium B No further action handaxe required WFD29 29°33'12.70"S 24° 6'16.20"E Modern Flat terrain, no trees, calcrete waste. Erosion barrier Medium B No further action required WFD30 29°33'13.30"S 24° 6'22.50"E MSA/LSA Flat terrain, no trees.