AE01706V
A REPORT ON A CULTURAL HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SCHOOL AND ASSOCIATED WATER PIPELINE ON THE REMAINDER OF THE FARM GENERAALSDRAAI 429 JS AND THE REMAINDER OF PORTION 16 OF GENERAALSDRAAI 423 JS, WONDERFONTEIN, MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
Purpose:
Archaetnos cc was requested by AdiEnvironmental CC to conduct a cultural heritage impact assessment (HIA) for the construction of a school and associated water pipeline on the Remainder of the farm Generaalsdraai 429 JS and the Remainder of portion 16 of the farm Generaalsdraai 423 JS. The proposed development currently is in the Basic Assessment phase.
Project description:
Umsimibithi Mining (Pty) Ltd. intends to relocate Morelig Combined School to the indicated farm, close to the Afgri Silo’s. Services (i.e. water, pipelines, boreholes, sewage, package plant, etc.) will be installed as part of the project.
Methodology:
The methodology for the study includes a survey of literature and a field survey. The latter was conducted according to generally accepted HIA practices and was aimed at locating all possible objects, sites and features of cultural significance in the area of proposed development.
If required, the location/position of any site was determined by means of a Global Positioning System (GPS), while photographs were also taken where needed. The survey was undertaken by doing a physical survey via off-road vehicle and on foot and covered as much as possible of the area to be studied. Certain factors, such as accessibility, density of vegetation, etc. may however influence the coverage.
All sites, objects features and structures identified were documented according to the general minimum standards accepted by the archaeological profession. Co-ordinates of individual localities were determined by means of the Global Positioning System (GPS). The information was added to the description in order to facilitate the identification of each locality.
Public consultation:
Public consultation was handled by AdiEnvironmental CC. Newspaper notices were placed on 10 February 2017. Site notices were placed on site on 10 February 2017.
Findings:
During the survey no sites of cultural heritage significance were identified within the immediate project area.
Some Iron Age sites were however noted on Google Earth, reasonably close thereto.
Recommendations:
The report is seen as ample mitigation and the proposed development may continue, but only after it had been approved by SAHRA.
The developer should ensure that they steer clear of the Iron Age features that were noted towards the north and east of the project area.
It should be noted that the subterranean presence of archaeological and/or historical sites, features or artifacts is always a distinct possibility. Due to the density of vegetation it also is possible that some sites may only become known later on. Operating controls and monitoring should therefore be aimed at the possible unearthing of such features. Care should therefore be taken when development commences that if any of these are discovered, a qualified archaeologist be called in to investigate the occurrence.