Case Decision - 197028

Interim CommentThe SAHRA APM Unit acknowledges receipt of the BAR application and request that the following is undertaken in terms of section 38(3) of the National Heritage Resources Act (25 of 1999) as part of the EA application process.The prospecting has the potential to impact negatively on heritage and/or cultural resources, therefore a heritage impact assessment must be conducted. A field-based  assessment of the impact to archaeological resources must be conducted by a qualified archaeologist. The report must comply with section 38(3) of the NHRA and the SAHRA 2006 Minimum Standards: Archaeological and Palaeontological Component of Impact Assessments, and the 2012 Minimum Standards: Archaeological Component of Heritage Impact Assessments. The Minimum Standards provides allowance for a Letter of Recommendation for Exemption that can be submitted by a qualified archaeologist should they deem it appropriate.The project geo-location file (kml.) has not been submitted with the application for an assessement of the potential impact of the proposed development of palaeontological resources using SAHRA's PalaeoSensitivity Maps.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.
Further comments will be issued upon receipt of the above. 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.