HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF A TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY AT BAKUBUNG PLATINUM MINE NEAR LEDIG, MOSES KOTANE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, BOJANALA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY, NORTH WEST PROVINCE Issue Date: 2 April 2020 Revision Number: 2 Project Number: 453HIA + 27 (0) 12 332 5305 +27 (0) 86 675 8077 [email protected] PO Box 32542, Totiusdal, 0134 Offices in South Africa, Kingdom of Lesotho and Mozambique Head Office: 906 Bergarend Streets Waverley, Pretoria, South Africa Directors: HS Steyn, PD Birkholtz, W Fourie Declaration of Independence § I, Polke Birkholtz, declare that – § General declaration: § I act as the independent heritage practitioner in this application § I will perform the work relating to the application in an objective manner, even if this results in views and findings that are not favourable to the applicant § I declare that there are no circumstances that may compromise my objectivity in performing such work; § I have expertise in conducting heritage impact assessments, including knowledge of the Act, Regulations and any guidelines that have relevance to the proposed activity; § I will comply with the Act, Regulations and all other applicable legislation; § I will take into account, to the extent possible, the matters listed in section 38 of the NHRA when preparing the application and any report relating to the application; § I have no, and will not engage in, conflicting interests in the undertaking of the activity; § I undertake to disclose to the applicant and the competent authority all material information in my possession that reasonably has or may have the potential of influencing - any decision to be taken with respect to the application by the competent authority; and - the objectivity of any report, plan or document to be prepared by myself for submission to the competent authority; § I will ensure that information containing all relevant facts in respect of the application is distributed or made available to interested and affected parties and the public and that participation by interested and affected parties is facilitated in such a manner that all interested and affected parties will be provided with a reasonable opportunity to participate and to provide comments on documents that are produced to support the application; § I will provide the competent authority with access to all information at my disposal regarding the application, whether such information is favourable to the applicant or not § All the particulars furnished by me in this form are true and correct; § I will perform all other obligations as expected from a heritage practitioner in terms of the Act and the constitutions of my affiliated professional bodies; and § I realise that a false declaration is an offence in terms of regulation 71 of the Regulations and is punishable in terms of section 24F of the NEMA. Disclosure of Vested Interest § I do not have and will not have any vested interest (either business, financial, personal or other) in the proposed activity proceeding other than remuneration for work performed in terms of the Regulations; HERITAGE CONSULTANT: PGS Heritage (Pty) Ltd CONTACT PERSON: Polke Birkholtz – Archaeologist/Heritage Specialist/Project Manager Tel: +27 (0) 12 332 5305 Email:[email protected] SIGNATURE: ______________________________ HIA – PROPOSED TSF DEVELOPMENT AT BAKUBUNG PLATINUM MINE 2 April 2020 Page ii Report Proposed Development oF a Tailings Storage Facility at Bakubung Platinum Title Mine near Ledig, Moses Kotane Local Municipality, Bojanala District Municipality, North West Province Control Name Signature Designation Author Polke Birkholtz Principal Heritage Specialist / Archaeologist / Project Manager Co-Author Cherene de Bruyn Archaeologist / PGS Heritage DETAILS OF CLIENT: CLIENT: Knight Piésold (Pty) Ltd CONTACT PERSON: Ms Tania Oosthuizen Email: [email protected] HIA – PROPOSED TSF DEVELOPMENT AT BAKUBUNG PLATINUM MINE 2 April 2020 Page iii The heritage impact assessment report has been compiled taking into account the NEMA Appendix 6 (2014, as amended 2017) requirements for specialist reports as indicated in the table below. NEMA Regs (2014, as amended 2017) - AppendiX 6 Relevant section in report Details oF the specialist who prepared the report Page iii and Section 1.2 The expertise oF that person to compile a specialist report Section 1.2 – refer to AppendiX A including a curriculum vita A declaration that the person is independent in a Form as may Page ii oF the report be speciFied by the competent authority An indication of the scope of, and the purpose For which, the Section 1 report was prepared The date and season oF the site investigation and the relevance Section 3 of the season to the outcome of the assessment A description of the methodology adopted in preparing the Section 3 report or carrying out the specialised process The speciFic identiFied sensitivity oF the site related to the Sections 5 & 6 activity and its associated structures and inFrastructure An identiFication of any areas to be avoided, including bufFers Sections 6 & 8 A map superimposing the activity including the associated Not applicable as no archaeological structures and inFrastructure on the environmental sensitivities or heritage sites were identiFied. of the site including areas to be avoided, including bufFers; A description of any assumptions made and any uncertainties or Section 1.3 gaps in knowledge; A description of the Findings and potential implications of such findings on the impact of the proposed activity, including Sections 7 & 8 identified alternatives, on the environment Any mitigation measures For inclusion in the EMPr Section 8 Any conditions For inclusion in the environmental authorisation Section 8 Any monitoring requirements For inclusion in the EMPr or Section 8 environmental authorisation A reasoned opinion as to whether the proposed activity or portions thereof should be authorised and If the opinion is that the proposed activity or portions thereoF Executive Summary & Section 9 should be authorised, any avoidance, management and mitigation measures that should be included in the EMPr, and where applicable, the closure plan Not applicable. No public A description of any consultation process that was undertaken participation process was during the course of carrying out the study undertaken by PGS Heritage. A summary and copies iF any comments that were received Not applicable. See comment during any consultation process above. Not applicable. No consultation Any other information requested by the competent authority. with the heritage authorities has as of yet taken place. HIA – PROPOSED TSF DEVELOPMENT AT BAKUBUNG PLATINUM MINE 2 April 2020 Page iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction PGS Heritage (Pty) Ltd was appointed by Knight Piésold (Pty) Ltd to undertake a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), which Forms part of the environmental process for the proposed Talings Storage Facility (TSF) at Bakubung Platinum Mine, Moses Kotane Local Municipality, Bojanala District Municipality, North West Province. General Desktop Study An archaeological and historical desktop study was undertaken to provide a historical framework For the project area and surrounding landscape (refer Chapter 5). This was augmented by an assessment oF previous archaeological and heritage studies completed For the study area and surrounding landscape. Furthermore, an assessment was made oF the early editions oF the relevant topographic maps. During the desktop study component an overlay was made of the Footprint areas For the proposed TSF over the palaeontological sensitivity map oF SAHRA. This overlay indicated that the project Footprint is located entirely within an area demarcated as grey on this map. This grey coloration deFines those areas from the palaeontological sensitivity map with InsigniFicant/Zero Palaeontological SigniFicance. As a result, no palaeontological desktop studies or mitigation would be required. Fieldwork Intensive Field surveys oF the study area were undertaken on foot by an experienced fieldwork team comprising one archaeologist/heritage specialist (Polke Birkholtz) accompanied by a Fieldwork assistant (Derrick James). Despite the intensive Fieldwork undertaken as part of this study, no evidence For any archaeological or heritage sites could be identiFied. Impact Assessment Despite an intensive walkthrough oF the Footprint area For the proposed TSF, no evidence For any archaeological or heritage sites could be identiFied. As a result, no impact is expected From the proposed development on heritage. Furthermote, with the study area located within an area HIA – PROPOSED TSF DEVELOPMENT AT BAKUBUNG PLATINUM MINE 2 April 2020 Page v demarcated on the SAHRA palaeontological sensitivity map as of insignificant/zero palaeontological sensitivity, no impact is expected From the proposed development on palaeontology. Refer Chapter 7. Mitigation With no impact expected on heritage, no Further mitigation is required. ReFer Chapter 8 of this report. Conclusions Despite the intensive desktop study work and fieldwork undertaken for the purposes of this study, no evidence For any archaeological or heritage sites could be identiFied within the study area. Furthermore, no impact is also expected from the proposed development on palaeontology. As a result, and on the condition that the development does not extend beyond the development Footprint currently assessed, the authors of this report can provide no heritage reasons for the proposed development not to continue.