THE PROPOSED ONSEEPKANS AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Remainder of the Farm Onseepkans No. 88, Upington Khai-Ma Municipality, Northern Cape Province. ENVIRONMEENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR COMMENT DEA Ref. No.: NC/EIA/07/NAM/KHA/ONS1/2016 JUNE 2017 P.O.Box 5367 Unit 7, Pastorie Park HELDERBERG 7135 Somerset West Tel: (021) 851 1616 CK 97/46008/23 Fax: (086) 512 0154 e-mail: [email protected] VAT4870170513 EnviroAfrica DETAILS OF THE APPLICATION The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Contact: Mr. W. V. D. Mothibi Physical: 162 George Street Kimberlite Building, Kimberley Postal: Private Bag X5018 Kimberley 8300 Tel: 053 838 9100 Fax: 053 831 4685/3635 Web: http://agric.ncape.gov.za Onseepkans Agri-Development Final Scoping Report P a g e | ii DETAILS OF THE EAP EAP: Inge Erasmus (BA Hons) under supervision of Mr. P.J.J. Botes (Pri. Sci. Nat.) Company: EnviroAfrica CC Physical: Unit 7, Pastorie Park Reitz Street Somerset West. Postal: PO Box 5367 Helderberg, 7135 Tell: 021 – 851 1616 Fax: 086 – 512 0154 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] EAP qualifications Inge Erasmus: BA (Hons) Geography and Environmental Studies (University of Stellenbosch, 2 years experience P.J.J. Botes: BSc; BSc (Hons) Botany/Plant Ecology (University of Stellenbosch), >15 years’ experience. EAP registrations Registered Professional Botanical, Environmental and Ecological Scientists at SACNASP (South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions). EAP expertise Please refer to Appendix 8 in this report P.O.Box 5367 Unit 7, Pastorie Park HELDERBERG 7135 Somerset West Tel: (021) 851 1616 CK 97/46008/23 Fax: (086) 512 0154 e-mail: [email protected] VAT4870170513 EnviroAfrica Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background .................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1. The Applicant: ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2. THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY .......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1. Project Scope: ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3. Need and desirability ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.1. STRATEGIC CONSIDERATION................................................................................................................................ 4 1.3.2. Need ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.3. Desirability ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 2. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 2.1. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa ............................................................................................................. 8 2.2. National Environnmental Management Act ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.2.1. Listed activities .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.2. Environmental impact assessment ............................................................................................................................ 9 2.2.3. Principles of environmental management .................................................................................................................. 9 2.2.4. EIA Guideline and information document series ...................................................................................................... 10 2.3. National Heritage Resources Act .................................................................................................................................. 11 2.4. National Water Act ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.5. National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act ................................................................................................. 12 2.6. National Forests Act ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.7. Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act ...................................................................................................................... 12 3. ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1. Property alternatives .................................................................................................................................................... 14 3.2. Layout alternatives ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 3.2.1. Alternative 1 – The preferred alternative .................................................................................................................. 16 3.2.2. Alternative 2 – Layout alternative ............................................................................................................................. 16 3.3. Activity alternative ........................................................................................................................................................ 17 3.4. The No-Go alternative .................................................................................................................................................. 18 4. SITE DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................................................................. 19 4.1. Location ....................................................................................................................................................................... 19 4.1.1. SURVEYOR GENERAL CODE ............................................................................................................................... 19 4.1.2. SITE COORDINATES ............................................................................................................................................. 20 4.2. Climate ......................................................................................................................................................................... 20 4.3. SOIL ............................................................................................................................................................................. 22 4.4. Vegetation .................................................................................................................................................................... 23 4.5. Namakwa District Biodiversity Sector Plan ................................................................................................................... 25 4.6. Freshwater ................................................................................................................................................................... 26 4.7. Socio-economic context ............................................................................................................................................... 26 4.7.1. Demographic Profile of Namakwa District ................................................................................................................ 28 4.8. Heritage features .......................................................................................................................................................... 28 5. PROCESS TO DATE .............................................................................................................................................................. 29 5.1. TASKS UNDERTAKEN TO DATE ................................................................................................................................ 29 5.2. TASKS TO BE UNDERTAKEN DURING THE EIA PROCESS ..................................................................................... 30 5.3. PROFESSIONAL TEAM ............................................................................................................................................... 31 5.4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ............................................................................................................................................ 31 5.4.1. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION