Heritage survey report for the proposed WESTGATE-TARLTON-KROMDRAAI POWERLINE AND SUBSTATION, RANDFONTEIN AND KRUGERSDORP MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS, GAUTENG Heritage Survey Westgate-Tarlton-Kromdraai Powerline THE PROJECT: Development of a powerline and substation. THIS REPORT: Heritage survey report for THE PROPOSED WESTGATE-TARLTON-KROMDRAAI POWERLINE AND SUBSTATION, RANDFONTEIN AND KRUGERSDORP MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS, GAUTENG Report No: 2007/JvS/065 Status: Final Revision No: 1 Date: September 2008 Prepared for: ARCUS GIBB (Pty) Ltd Representative: Ms. A Strong Postal Address: P O Box 2700, Rivonia, 2128 Tel: (011) 519 4701 E-mail: [email protected] Prepared by: J van Schalkwyk (D Litt et Phil), Heritage Consultant ASAPA Registration No. 164 Principal Investigator: Iron Age, Colonial Period, Industrial Heritage Postal Address: 62 Coetzer Ave, Monument Park, 0181 Tel: 076 790 6777 E-mail: [email protected] i Heritage Survey Westgate-Tarlton-Kromdraai Powerline EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HERITAGE SURVEY REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED WESTGATE-TARLTON- KROMDRAAI POWERLINE AND SUBSTATION, RANDFONTEIN AND KRUGERSDORP MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS, GAUTENG The aim of the survey was to locate, identify, evaluate and document sites, objects and structures of cultural significance found within the area in which it is proposed to develop an electricity power line and substation. Eight different corridors were identified. Three of these would link the existing Westgate and Tarlton Substations and the other five would link the existing Tarlton Substation to the proposed new Kromdraai Substation. Past activities in the study area consisted of farming activities. In recent times, the area was subjected to intense urbanisation, which would have destroyed any heritage features that might have occurred in the region. Conversely, it also brought about the establishment of a large number of features that currently qualify as heritage sites. As a result, a variety of heritage resources occur in the larger geographical area. However, according to current knowledge and understanding, it is unlikely that any might occur in the proposed corridors. The only area of concern is in the northern section, in the vicinity of the new Kromdraai Substation and the corridors leading from that station. In this region, a number of early hominid and palaeontological sites are located. However, these sites are well documented and it would be easy to avoid them. Also, the management measures set out in Section 7 would assist in minimizing possible future impacts. Based on what was found and its evaluation, it is anticipated that the development can take place in any of the corridors, although the preferred corridors would be: Corridor 5 for the Tarlton - Kromdraai section; and Corridor 1 for the Westgate – Tarlton section. However, this selection is based on condition of acceptance of the management measures as set out in Section 7 of this report. The most important of this would be the conducting of a full Phase 1 archaeological survey of the selected corridor in accordance with the requirements of Section 38(3) of the National Heritage Resources Act (Act 25 of 1999). In the case where resources do occur, assessing of the potential impact of the development can only be done once a final corridor has been selected. Mitigation of heritage sites implies first of all total avoidance, or, secondly, the recovery of sufficient data from the site in order that it can be studied and understood at a later stage. This latter scenario is not necessarily negative as science stands to benefit from such actions. ii Heritage Survey Westgate-Tarlton-Kromdraai Powerline TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................iii LIST OF FIGURES.....................................................................................................................iii GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS.................................................................... iv 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................1 2. TERMS OF REFERENCE ...................................................................................................1 3. DEFINITIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS ..................................................................................1 4. STUDY APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY .....................................................................2 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ......................................................3 6. SITE SIGNIFICANCE AND ASSESSMENT .......................................................................10 7. RECOMMENDED MANAGEMENT MEASURES................................................................13 8. RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................................15 9. REFERENCES....................................................................................................................17 APPENDIX 1: CONVENTIONS USED TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF PROJECTS ON HERITAGE RESOURCES.......................................................................................................18 APPENDIX 2. RELEVANT LEGISLATION ..............................................................................20 LIST OF FIGURES Page Fig. 1 & 2. Maps showing the location of the substations and alternative corridors..................4 Fig. 3. Prof R Clark, discoverer of the Little Foot early hominid remains at Sterkfontein Caves, pointing out a feature to a visitor from India.......................................................................5 Fig. 4. Fine line engraving of an eland.......................................................................................6 Fig. 5. Late Iron Age stone walled site.......................................................................................7 Fig. 6. Semi-detached houses in Luipaard Road.......................................................................8 Fig. 7. Headstone of a local man who died during the Anglo Boer War....................................9 Fig. 8. Water storage facilities, West Village. ..........................................................................10 Fig. 9. Combined map of the various alternatives. ..................................................................11 Fig. 10 Map showing the location of known sites of cultural significance (red dots) in relation to the various alternative corridors...................................................................................12 iii Heritage Survey Westgate-Tarlton-Kromdraai Powerline GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS STONE AGE Early Stone Age 2 000 000 - 150 000 Before Present Middle Stone Age 150 000 - 30 000 BP Late Stone Age 30 000 - until c. AD 200 IRON AGE Early Iron Age AD 200 - AD 1000 Late Iron Age AD 1000 - AD 1830 HISTORIC PERIOD Since the arrival of the white settlers - c. AD 1840 in this part of the country ADRC Archaeological Data Recording Centre ASAPA Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists EIA Early Iron Age ESA Early Stone Age GOSP Gauteng Open Spaces Project LIA Late Iron Age LSA Late Stone Age MSA Middle Stone Age NASA National Archives of South Africa NHRA National Heritage Resources Act PHRA Provincial Heritage Resources Agency SAHRA South African Heritage Resources Agency iv Heritage Survey Westgate-Tarlton-Kromdraai Powerline HERITAGE SURVEY REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED WESTGATE- TARLTON-KROMDRAAI POWERLINE AND SUBSTATION, RANDFONTEIN AND KRUGERSDORP MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS, GAUTENG 1. INTRODUCTION An independent heritage consultant was appointed by ARCUS GIBB (Pty) Ltd. to conduct a survey to locate, identify, evaluate and document sites, objects and structures of cultural importance found within the boundaries of an area in which it is proposed to develop an electricity power line and substation. Eight different corridors were identified. Three of these would link the existing Westgate and Tarlton Substations and the other five would link the existing Tarlton Substation to the proposed new Kromdraai Substation. The various corridors and substations are indicated in Figs. 1, 2 & 9. 2. TERMS OF REFERENCE The scope of work consisted of conducting a Phase 1 archaeological survey of the site in accordance with the requirements of Section 38(3) of the National Heritage Resources Act (Act 25 of 1999). This included: Conducting a desk-top investigation of the area A visit to the proposed development site The objectives were to: Identify possible archaeological, cultural and historic sites within the proposed development areas; Evaluate the potential impacts of construction, operation and maintenance of the proposed development on archaeological, cultural and historical resources; Recommend mitigation measures to ameliorate any negative impacts on areas of archaeological, cultural or historical importance. 3. DEFINITIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS The following aspects have a direct bearing on the survey and the resulting report: Cultural resources are all non-physical and physical human-made occurrences, as well as natural occurrences that are associated with human activity. These include all sites, structures and artefacts of importance, either individually or in groups, in the history, architecture and archaeology of human (cultural) development.