Basic Assessment for the Proposed Babanango Travelers Camp, Adjacent to the White Mfolozi River, Ulundi Local Municipality, Zululand District, KwaZulu-Natal Consultation (Draft) Basic Assessment Report for Comment July 2020 Prepare for: Emcakwini Community Trust 19 Wilson Street, Babanango, 3850 Northern KwaZulu-Natal Prepared by: Integrated Development Management Services Environmental (IDME) Consultants Ocean Dune, FMI House, 2 Heleza Boulevard Hillhead Umhlanga, 4320 i Client: Emcakwini Community Trust (ECT) Reference Document as: Basic Assessment for the Proposed Babanango Travelers Camp, Babanango Game Reserve, KwaZulu- Natal, Draft I for Comment, IDME, 2020 Client Reference Number: Babanango Travelers Camp Competent Authority Reference: To be issued Report Compiled by: Novashni Sharleen Moodley Pr.Sci.Nat Date of Report: July 2020 Report reviewed and approved by: Karl Wiggishoff Applicant: Emcakwini Community Trust Competent Authority: The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP): Novashni Sharleen Moodley of IDM Environmental Ocean Dune, FMI House, 2 Heleza Boulevard Hillhead Umhlanga, Sibaya Precinct, 4320 [email protected] i NOTICE This document and its appendices are a public document and made available to the Competent Authority (CA), commenting authorities, stakeholders, Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs), and the general public. This Consultation Basic Assessment Report (cBAR) is available for comment for a period of 30 days from 30 July to 30 August 2020. This report will then be amended and updated in response to the comments received during this review period. Once finalised the BAR will be submitted to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Zululand District (KZN EDTEA), for decision-making. A copy of the Draft BA and WUL Reports are available for review from 30 July 2020, at the Zulu Rock Lodge (R34 between Vryheid and, Ulundi) and for download and on the Phelamanga website home page (http://www.phelamanga.co.za). PUBLIC REVIEW Phelamanga has been appointed as the independent public participation consultant. If you consider yourself an I&AP for this proposed project, we urge you to become involved. ▪ By responding (by phone, fax or e-mail) to our invitation for your involvement in the process. ▪ By completing the Background Information Document (BID, circulated on site) comment form and emailing it to Mrs Rose Owen. ▪ By reviewing and commenting on the draft / consultation BAR within the allowed 30-day review period (30 July to 30 August 2020), and the WUL within the allowed 60-day period (30 July to 30 September 2020) and submitting comment to the public participation consultant. THE DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT BAR IS 30 AUGUST 2020 THE DEALINE FOR COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT WULA IS 30 SEPTEMBER 2020 Once you register yourself as an I&AP for this project it will be ensured that your comments, concerns and/or queries raised regarding the project are noted and addressed. SUBMIT COMMENTS AND QUERIES TO: Mrs Rose Owen (MSoc Sci) T: 031 765 8236; C: 082 506 0093 E: [email protected] Web: http://www.phelamanga.co.za Directions, measures and protocols were followed at all times, including the “General measures to contain the spread of COVID-19” set out in Regulation 5 of Chapter 2 of the 29 April 2020 Lockdown Regulations, e.g. to wear a cloth face mask/appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth when in a public place; observance social/physical distancing requirements; a person may only leave his/her place of residence to perform an essential or permitted service, to go to work where a permit has been issued, to buy a permitted good, to obtain services that are allowed to operate; etc. ii Disclaimer The opinions expressed in this report are based on the information supplied to IDME Consulting. IDME Consulting has exercised all due care in reviewing the supplied information. While IDME Consulting has compared key supplied data with expected outcomes, and duly interrogated all information supplied to us, the accuracy of the results and conclusions from the review are entirely reliant on the accuracy and completeness of the supplied data. The results of this study are further based on a literature review and other data obtained from published articles, reference books, field guides, official databases or any other official published or electronic sources. These are assumed to be correct and no review of these were undertaken by IDME Consulting. Opinions presented in this report apply to the site conditions and features as they existed at the time of investigations, and those reasonably foreseeable. These opinions do not necessarily apply to conditions and features that may arise after the date of this report, about which IDME Consulting had no prior knowledge nor had the opportunity to evaluate. iii Contents 1. Basic Assessment Process ................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Approach to the Basic Assessment ............................................................................... 1 1.2. Objectives of the Study ................................................................................................. 1 1.3. Details of the Project Proponent .................................................................................... 2 1.4. Details of the Environmental Assessment Practitioner ................................................... 3 1.5. Structure of the Report .................................................................................................. 4 2. Project Context and Motivation ........................................................................................... 4 2.1. Background of Study ..................................................................................................... 4 2.1.1. The Greater Babanango Game Reserve................................................................. 4 2.1.2. The proposed Babanango Travellers Camp (The Project) ...................................... 6 2.2. Property Description ...................................................................................................... 9 2.2.1. Land Use Zoning ...................................................................................................10 2.2.2. Site Coordinates ....................................................................................................11 2.2.3. Access / Directions ................................................................................................11 2.2.4. Dimensions of the Activity ......................................................................................12 2.2.5. Surrounding Land Uses .........................................................................................12 2.3. Project Motivation and Need and Desirability ...............................................................13 2.4. Socio-Economic Value of the Activity ...........................................................................14 3. Technical Data ...................................................................................................................15 3.1. The Conceptual Engineering Scheme ..........................................................................15 3.1.1. Particular Building Guidelines of the Babanango Game Reserve ...........................15 3.1.2. Pool Structure ........................................................................................................16 3.1.3. Floors, Foundations and Reinforced Concrete .......................................................16 3.1.4. Earthworks .............................................................................................................16 3.1.5. Bulk Water .............................................................................................................17 3.1.6. Stormwater ............................................................................................................17 3.1.7. Sewer ....................................................................................................................19 3.1.8. Recycling and Solid Waste ....................................................................................21 3.1.9. Electrical Provision ................................................................................................21 3.1.10. Pedestrian Bridge over Tributary ........................................................................23 iv 3.2. Design Standards and Sources of Reference ...............................................................27 4. Environmental Legislative Context .....................................................................................27 4.1. The Constitution of South Africa ...................................................................................27 4.2. National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) ..................................28 4.2.1. EIA Regulations (2014) (as amended in 2017) ......................................................29 4.3. National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) (as amended) ................................................35 4.4. National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act No. 10 of 2004) ................36 4.4.1. National Spatial Biodiversity Assessments (2004, 2011) ...........................................37 4.4.2. National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (2005) .............................................37