Prepared for: LONMIN – MARIKANA OPERATIONS A SURVEY FOR HERITAGE RESOURCES IN THE LONMIN MARIKANA MINE LEASE AREA IN THE BRITS (MADIBENG) AND RUSTENBURG (BAFOKENG) DISTRICTS IN THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCE Prepared by: Dr Julius CC Pistorius Archaeologist and Heritage Consultant 352 Rosemary Street Lynnwood 0081 PO Box 1522 Bela Bela 0480 Tel and fax 0147362115 Cell 0825545449 October 2012 Member ASAPA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The author was requested to put forward a cultural heritage register for the Lonmin Marikana mine lease area (also referred to as the Lonmin Project Area). The main aim with the cultural heritage register is to identify all possible types and ranges of heritage resources (as outlined in Section 3 of the National Heritage Resources Act [No 25 of 1999]) that occur in the Lonmin Project Area; to describe the significance of these different types and ranges of heritage resources and to outline mitigation measures that should be followed whenever any of these types and ranges of heritage resources may be affected by new developmental activities. The guidelines on the mitigation of the various types and ranges of heritage resources also serve as management measures that have to be adhered to in order to minimise any possible impact on the different types and ranges of heritage resources that occur in the Lonmin Project Area. This cultural heritage register also makes provision for heritage work which can be implemented on the short term whilst other proposals can further be developed and considered to be implemented in the longer term. This register should also be considered as a living document that should be expanded in the future as unknown heritage resources will still be uncovered as a result of accidental discoveries or due to new developmental activities that may (accidentally) expose such heritage resources. The following types and ranges of heritage resources were recorded in the Lonmin Project Area, namely: • Scatters of stone tools (close to the Lonmin Project Area). • Single and clusters of stone walled settlements which date from the Late Iron Age occur in large numbers in the southern part of the Lonmin Project Area. However, single stone walled sites are also scattered throughout the Lonmin Project Area but not in large numbers. • Historical settlements, houses and graveyards occur throughout the Project Area. Most of these remains date from the more recent past but are older than sixty years and therefore qualify as historical remains. 2 All these heritage resources were geo-referenced and mapped. Their coordinates are not published due to reasons of confidentiality and for the protection of the heritage resources. It is possible that some of these types and ranges of heritage resources may be affected (impacted) when future development activities are undertaken in the Lonmin Project Area. The significance of the heritage resources therefore is indicated by means of stipulations derived from the National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999). Stone tools qualify as artefacts or are part of archaeological sites. All archaeological and paleontological sites are protected by Section 35 of the National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999). These site may not be affected (demolished, altered, removed) before SAHRA has approved such alterations. Late Iron Age (stone walled and non-stone walled) sites qualify as archaeological sites, some of which may date from the Historical Period. All archaeological (historical) and paleontological sites are protected by Section 35 of the National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999). These site may not be affected (demolished, altered, renovated, removed) before SAHRA has approved such alterations. Historical settlements as well as individual historical houses older than sixty years or structures which approach this age are protected by Section 34 and Section 35 of the National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999). Historical settlements and houses may not be affected (demolished, altered, removed) before SAHRA has approved such alterations. All graveyards and graves can be considered to be of high significance and are protected by various laws. Legislation with regard to graves includes Section 36 of the National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999) whenever graves are older than sixty years. Heritage resources are non-renewal and once affected (altered, demolished, removed) can never be restored. The results of impacts on heritage resources therefore are permanent and any impacts on heritage resources, whether it was legally sanctioned by the authorities, must be avoided at all costs. 3 It is possible that heritage resources may be impacted or affected (altered, destroyed, removed) in the Lonmin Project Area as a result of the following consequences: • Accidental damage that may occur to heritage resources in close proximity of new developments or existing project activities. • Deliberate damaged that may occur to heritage resources in close proximity of new developments as the heritage resources have to be affected (altered, removed destroyed) in order to obtain satisfactory developmental results. Deliberate (but unplanned) damage to heritage resources can only occur after the impact has legally been sanctioned by the authorities and after the initial heritage impact assessment studies have been done. These studies will determine what appropriate mitigation measures have to be applied to the heritage resources, prior to the development activities being undertaken. The following guidelines are recommended in order to minimise any possible impact on heritage resources in the Lonmin Project Area. These mitigation measures are divided into: • General mitigation guidelines which must continuously be applied throughout the Lonmin Project Area. • Specialised mitigation measures that must be applied to specific sites where possible clashes between heritage resources and development activities may occur in the Lonmin Project Area. 4 CONTENTS Executive summary 1 BACKGROUND 8 2 THE LONMIN PROJECT AREA 9 2.1 Location 9 2.2 Within a cultural landscape 10 3 THE NATIONAL ESTATE 13 3.1 The National Heritage Resources Act (No 25 of 1999) 13 3.2 A cultural heritage management program 15 4 METHODOLOGY 17 4.1 Desktop study 17 4.2 Fieldwork 17 4.3 Geo-referencing heritage resources 18 4.4 Proposals for a cultural heritage management program 19 4.5 Limitations and assumptions 29 5 CONTEXTUALISING THE LONMIN PROJECT AREA 20 5.1 Brief background to the Central Bankeveld 20 5.2 The Lonmin Project Area 22 5.2.1 Brief history of the Bakwena Bamôgôpa 22 5.2.2 Brief history of the Bapô 24 5.3 Historical context 27 5.4 Platinum mining 29 5.4.1 Brief history in South Africa 30 5.4.2 Platinum’s uses and strategic importance 31 5 6 RESULTS OF THE HERITAGE SURVEY 32 6.1 Stone Age sites 36 6.2 Late Iron Age sites 39 6.2.1 Stone walled sites in the north-west 40 6.2.2 Stone walled sites in the north 52 6.2.3 Stone walled sites in the north-east 62 6.2.4 Scattered stone walled settlements 75 6.4.1 Middelkraal 466JQ 75 6.4.2 Turffontein 466JQ 80 6.4.3 Schaapkraal 292JQ 81 6.5 Historical settlements, remains from the recent past and graveyards 83 6.5.1 Historical settlements and remains from the recent past 83 6.5.1.1 Turffontein 466JQ 83 6.5.1.2 Schaapkraal 292JQ 86 6.5.3 Historical houses 87 6.5.4 Graveyards 88 6.5.4.1 Middelkraal 466JQ 89 6.5.4.2 Turffontein 462JQ 95 6.5.4.3 Schaapkraal 292JQ 97 6.5.4.5 Swartkoppies 296JQ 98 6.5.4.6 Rooikoppies 297JQ 100 7 THE SIGNIFICANCE, POSSIBLE IMPACT ON AND MITIGATION OF HERITAGE RESOURCES 101 7.1 Types and ranges of heritage resources 101 7.1.1 Stone Age sites 101 7.1.2 Iron Age sites 102 7.1.3 Historical remains 102 7.1.4 Graveyards and graves 102 7.2 Possible impact on heritage resources 103 6 7.3 Mitigation and management of the heritage resources 103 7.3.1 General mitigation (management) guidelines 104 7.3.1.1 Heritage awareness 104 7.3.1.2 Project activities (areas) 105 7.3.1.3 Communities 105 7.3.1.4 Graves and graveyards 105 7.3.1.5 Cultural landscapes 106 7.3.2 Specific or specialised mitigation (management) guidelines 106 7.3.2.1 Stone Age sites 106 7.3.2.2 Late Iron Age sites 107 7.3.2.3 Historical remains 107 7.3.2.4 Graveyards and graves 108 8 LONG TERM HERITAGE PROGRAMME 109 9 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 111 10 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 114 7 1 BACKGROUND The author was requested to put forward a cultural heritage register for the Lonmin Marikana mine lease area (also referred to as the Lonmin Project Area). The main aim with the cultural heritage register is to identify all possible types and ranges of heritage resources (as outlined in Section 3 of the National Heritage Resources Act [No 25 of 1999]) that occur in the Lonmin Project Area; to describe the significance of these different types and ranges of heritage resources and to outline mitigation measures that should be followed whenever any of these types and ranges of heritage resources may be affected by new developmental activities. The guidelines on the mitigation of the various types and ranges of heritage resources also serve as management measures that have to be adhered to in order to minimise any possible impact on the different types and ranges of heritage resources that occur in the Lonmin Project Area. This cultural heritage register also makes provision for heritage work which can be implemented on the short term whilst other proposals can further be developed and considered to be implemented in the longer term. This register should also be considered as a living document as ‘new’ heritage resources may still be uncovered in the future due to natural events or the result of new developmental activities that may accidentally expose such heritage resources.