Heritage Cases

The Applicant, the Beaumont Eston Farmers Association (BEFA), wishes to obtain Environmental Authorisation for a Mining Permit to mine Bulli soil on Portion 26 of Langeopdravende No. 1111, Eston, within the Mkhambathini Local and uMgungundlovu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. The property is located at GPS coordinates: 29° 50’ 33.89” S 30° 31’ 16.02” E and is accessed off of the R603 Road. The BEFA property is approximately 60 ha in extent. The BEFA property is surrounded by predominantly agricultural activities. The site is currently zoned as Agriculture 3 (Limited Tourism). Tala Game Reserve is located to the north-east of the site. The BEFA property consists of a club house, restaurant and bar area, tennis courts, a cricket pitch, squash courts, hockey Astro Turf field, and a clay shooting range. BEFA currently holds a mining permit (DMRE Reference No: KZN 30/5/1/3/2/393 MP) for the mining of Bulli soil, which has since expired. This Mining Permit was issued in 2008 and was for the mining of Bulli on two sites located on the property. Both of the sites were rehabilitated six years ago in 2016. A mining Closure Application has since been submitted to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) for the closure of the two mining sites. Bulli soil is a type of soil that is used for cricket pitches, and the BEFA sell this soil for this purpose. The BEFA property has a good supply of this soil on their property. BEFA does not mine the Bulli soil themselves but employs a company to mine the soil on their behalf. This company is called Galtrey’s Plant Hire CC who has their own equipment and employees to mine the Bulli. The mining process involves a TLB and tip truck being on site, for the short duration that the mining activities takes place. The mining process involves the removal of the vegetation and topsoil which is stockpiled and then a depth of approximately 30 cm / 300 mm of subsoil, which is the Bulli soil, is mined. Approximately 150 m3 of Bulli is mined per year and approximately 10 – 30 m3 is mined at a time. As such, the mining of Bulli is not a constant process and may occur once every two months over a period of one to three days. The topsoil and vegetation are replaced, and the site is allowed to rehabilitate, which occurs naturally. Implication / Risk / Impact • There is no known archaeological reason why the development may not proceed on the proposed development property. • Mining may expose material and it is pointed out that the KwaZulu-Natal Amafa and Research Institute Act (5 of 2018), requires that all operations exposing archaeological and historical residues must cease immediately pending an evaluation by the heritage authorities. Mitigation / Recommendations • Sources of all natural materials (including topsoil, vegetation) must be obtained in a sustainable manner and in compliance with heritage legislation. • The contractor and his/her labourers will need to be educated in order to identify valuable cultural / historical resources. • If any paleontological or heritage related objects or material are identified / unearthed during mining activities, the KwaZulu-Natal Amafa and Research Institute can be contacted on 033 394 6543.