Case Decision - 197941

Final Comment
South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) Archaeology, Palaeontology and Meteorites (APM) Unit accepts the HIA and supports the recommendations provided therein. The SAHRA objection to the proposed development going ahead on the following conditions:

A pre-construction walk down survey must be undertaken by a suitably qualified archaeologist and the report must be submitted to SAHRA for comments prior to the construction phase commencing.
The appointed archaeologist must be onsite for the excavations of the pylon footing near Feature 5 and a monitoring report must be submitted upon completion of the excavations.
The Chance Finds Fossil Procedure must be drafted and included in the EMPr as the proposed power line is located in a low sensitivity zone on the SAHRIS palaeo-sensitivity.

In the unlikely event that fossils are uncovered during construction then construction must cease within the immediate vicinity, a buffer of 30 m must be established, and a palaeontologist called in to inspect the finds. The palaeontologist must obtain a section 35(4) permit in terms of NHRA and Chapter IV NHRA Regulations, before any fossils are collected.
If there are any new heritages resources are discovered during construction and operation phases of the proposed development, then 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 may be required at the expense of the developer. Mitigation will only be carried out after the archaeologist or palaeontologist obtains a permit in terms of section 35 of the NHRA (Act 25 of 1999). You may contact SAHRA APM Unit for further details: (Nokukhanya Khumalo/Phillip Hine 021 202 8654).If any unmarked human burials are uncovered and the archaeologist called in to inspect the finds and/or the police find them to be heritage graves, then mitigation may be necessary and the SAHRA Burial Grounds and Graves (BGG) Unit must be contacted for processes to follow (Thingahangwi Tshivase/Ngqalabutho Madida 012 320 8490).
The Final BAR and its appendices must be submitted to the case and once a Record of Decision from the competent authority is issued, it must also be submitted to the case.