Case Decision - 196381

Interim Comment
The SAHRA Archaeology, Palaeontology and Meteorites (APM) Unit requests that a Heritage Impact Assessment be conducted as part of the EA application that complies with section 38(3) of the National Heritage Resources Act, Act 25 of 1999 (NHRA) as required by section 38(8) of the NHRA and section 24(4)b(iii) of NEMA. The assessment of archaeological resources must be conducted by a qualified archaeologist and the report comply with the SAHRA 2007 Minimum Standards: Archaeological and Palaeontological Components of Impact Assessment Reports (see www.asapa.co.za or www.aphp.org.za for a list of qualified archaeologists).
The proposed development is located within an area of moderate Palaeontological Sensitivity as per the SAHRIS PalaeoSensitivity map, and therefore a desktop Palaeontological Impact Assessment (PIA) must be required to be undertaken by a qualified palaeontologist. (See https://www.palaeosa.org/heritage-practitioners.html for a list of qualified palaeontologists). The report must comply with the 2012 Minimum Standards: Palaeontological Components of Heritage Impact Assessments.
Any other heritage resources as defined in section 3 of the NHRA that may be impacted, such as built structures over 60 years old, sites of cultural significance associated with oral histories, burial grounds and graves, graves of victims of conflict, and cultural landscapes or viewscapes must also be assessed.
The applicant is advised to extend the EA process in terms of section 19(1)b of the NEMA EIA regulations in order to comply with this comment.
Further comments will be issued upon receipt of the above requested reports.