VHEMBE DISTRICT BIOREGIONAL PLAN APPENDIX 1: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Revision 4: Reviewed by the Review Panels for Bioregional Plans Complied by: Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) December 2017 Contents Contents ........................................................................................................................................ i List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. ii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. ii List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ ii PART 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 4 1.1 Legislative context ................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 5 PART 2: BIODIVERSITY PROFILE ..................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Physical environment ............................................................................................................ 6 2.2 Natural environment ............................................................................................................. 8 2.2.1 Terrestrial ecosystems .................................................................................................... 8 2.2.1.1 Threatened ecosystems ............................................................................................. 8 2.2.1.2 Level of endemism .................................................................................................... 8 2.2.1.3 Protection level ........................................................................................................11 2.2.2 Important ecological processes .......................................................................................17 2.2.2.1 Ecosystem services and ecological infrastructure............................................................ 17 2.2.2.2 Hydrological processes .............................................................................................17 2.2.2.3 Climate change mitigation ..........................................................................................17 2.2.2.4 Climate change adaptation ........................................................................................ 18 2.3 Man-made environment ....................................................................................................... 19 2.3.1 Land cover ................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.2 Mining Activity and Mineral Deposits .............................................................................. 19 2.4 Planning environment ......................................................................................................... 22 2.4.1 Protected Areas planning .............................................................................................. 22 2.4.1.1 Protected Areas ...................................................................................................... 22 2.4.1.2 Conservation areas ................................................................................................. 22 2.4.1.3 South African National Parks Conservation Development Frameworks (CDF) Park Interface Zones and the Kruger National Park Integrated Land Use ............................................... 23 2.4.1.4 Protected Area Expansion Strategy............................................................................. 24 2.4.2 Multi sectoral planning .................................................................................................. 28 2.4.2.1 Environmental Management Framework ...................................................................... 28 2.4.2.2 Spatial Development Frameworks .............................................................................. 28 2.4.3 Other informants .......................................................................................................... 31 2.4.3.1 Vhembe Biosphere Reserve ...................................................................................... 31 Vhembe District Bioregional Plan – Supplementary Information i 2.4.3.2 National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas .............................................................. 31 2.4.3.3 Soutpansberg Centre of Endemism ............................................................................. 32 2.4.4 Other plans and programmes ......................................................................................... 35 2.4.4.1 Environmental Outlook: Limpopo ................................................................................ 35 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 36 GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................................. 39 List of Tables Table 1: Overview of applicable legislation Table 2: Overview of the vegetation types found in Vhembe District Municipality Table 3: Summary of protection level of vegetation in Vhembe District Municipality Table 4: Overview of land cover classes in Vhembe District Municipality Table 5: Summary of Protected Areas in Vhembe District Municipality List of Figures Figure 1: Methodology Figure 2: Physical environment: relief Figure 3a: Natural environment: vegetation types Figure 3b: Natural environment: terrestrial ecosystems threat status Figure 3c: Natural environment: level of endemism of terrestrial ecosystem types Figure 3d: Natural environment: terrestrial ecosystem protection level Figure 4a: Man-made environment: land cover Figure 4b: Man-made environment: mining Figure 5a: Planning environment: Protected Areas and conservation areas Figure 5b: Planning environment: CDF Interface zones and EMF Figure 5c: Planning environment: Protected Areas Expansion Strategy focus areas- National and Provincial Figure 6a: Planning environment: Local Municipality SDFs Musina Figure 6b: Planning environment: Local Municipality SDFs Makhado and Thulamela Figure 7a: Planning environment: Vhembe Biosphere Reserve Figure 7b: Planning environment: Soutpansberg Centre of Endemism List of Abbreviations CBA Critical Biodiversity Area CBD Convention of Biological Diversity CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research DEA Department of Environmental Affairs DMR Department of Mineral Resources Vhembe District Bioregional Plan – Supplementary Information ii DWS Department of Water and Sanitation EA Environmental Authorisation EAP Environmental Assessment Practitioner EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIP Environmental Implementation Plan EMF Environmental Management Framework EMPr Environmental Management Programme EPWP Extended Pubic Works Programme ESA Ecological Support Area GIS: Geographic Information System GLTFCA Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area Ha Hectares IBA Important Bird Area IDP Integrated Development Plan ILU Integrated land Use IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature KNP Kruger National Park LCPv2 Limpopo Conservation Plan Version 2 (2013) LEDET Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism MEC Member of the Executive Committee MSA Municipal Systems Act (Act No. 32 of 2000) NBA National Biodiversity Assessment, 2011 NBF National Biodiversity Framework NEMA National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) NEM:BA National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act No. 10 of 2004), referred to in this document as the Biodiversity Act NEM:PAA National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act No. 57 of 2003), referred to in this document as the Protected Areas Act NFEPA National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NNR No Natural (Habitat) Remaining NSBA National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment, 2004 NWA National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) OLCEMF Olifants and Letaba Catchment Environmental Management Framework ONA Other Natural Areas PES Present Ecological State PNR Private Nature Reserve SANBI South African National Biodiversity Institute SANParks South African National Parks SAPAD South African Protected Areas Database SDF Spatial Development Framework SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SEMP Strategic Environmental Management Plan SEZ Special Economic Zone SPLUMA Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (Act No. 16 of 2013) UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation VDBRP Vhembe District Bioregional Plan VDM Vhembe District Municipality WHS World Heritage Site Vhembe District Bioregional Plan – Supplementary Information iii PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Legislative context Table 1: Overview of applicable legislation Name Overview National Environmental To provide for co-operative environmental governance by establishing principles for Management Act (Act No. decision-making on matters affecting the environment, institutions that will promote 107 of 1998) cooperative governance