Case Decision - 190488

Final Decision
Based on the above discussion, the following recommendations must be completed:

SAHRA requests that test excavations should be conducted in a regular fashion throughout portions of Erf 7540, Erf 7541 and Erf 7538, Corner of Quinn and Naude Streets, Kimberly. This should be done by a suitably qualified professional archaeologist with experience in grave excavations. Test excavations must be permitted in terms of section 36 of the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (NHRA);
Any graves uncovered during the test excavation should be reported to SAHRA Burial Grounds and Graves (BGG) Unit (Itumeleng Masiteng/Mimi Seetelo 012 320 8490) immediately. The section 36 permit will make allowance for excavation to continue once SAHRA has been notified. Prior to excavation of any burials uncovered, suitable arrangements must be made for the reburial of such remains of which SAHRA must be notified;
Earth moving activities must be monitored by an experienced archaeologist. A Monitoring Report must be submitted to SAHRA upon the completion of the construction phase. If any graves are uncovered during monitoring, SAHRA should be notified and activities on-site should be halted to allow for the exhumation of discovered skeletal remains. Such excavation will be allowed to proceed under the test excavation permit provided SAHRA is notified of such discovery prior to removal of the burials; and
If any evidence of archaeological sites or remains (e.g. remnants of stone-made structures, indigenous ceramics, bones, stone artefacts, ostrich eggshell fragments, charcoal and ash concentrations), fossils (e.g. trace fossils or stromatolites) or other categories of heritage resources are found during the proposed development, SAHRA APM Unit (Natasha Higgitt/Phillip Hine 021 462 5402) must be alerted. A professional archaeologist or palaeontologist, depending on the nature of the finds, must be contracted as soon as possible to inspect the findings at the expense of the developer. If the newly discovered heritage resources prove to be of archaeological or palaeontological significance, a Phase 2 rescue operation under section 35 of the NHRA may be required at the expense of the developer.