Heritage Cases

Spatial Solutions Incorporated (SSI) as independent environmental consultants and impact assessors, has been appointed by Di-Thabeng Truck and Taxi Proprietary Limited (hereinafter referred to as “The Proponent”) to facilitate the Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) procedure for the proposed development of an inland diesel depot, transportation pipeline and associated infrastructure on Portion 5 of the farm Franshoek no. 1861 (hereinafter referred to as “The Property”), Swinburne, Free State. Located approximately 20 kilometres (km) east of Harrismith towards Durban, on the edge of the Drakensberg, the proposed property is situated adjacent to the small town, Swinburne, which forms the eastern boundary. The property is approximately 4.5 km north west of the Montrose filling station adjacent to the N3 highway. The entrance to the proposed property is situated approximately 450 metres (m) south of the N3 on the Main Swinburne Road leading to town and approximately 160 m on Old School Road. The property falls within the Thabo Mofutsanyana Municipal District, and Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipal District, jurisdiction area. The remainder of the property (south and west of the proposed development borders) was actively cultivated and is bordered by vacant land, envisioned for future residential development to the east. The north western section of the proposed property is bordered by Portion 3 of Farm 1861 with a prevailing filling station and associated buildings however, the filling station is vacant and not currently utilised. According to the National Vegetation Map of South-Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Mucina & Rutherford 2006) the property would historically have been covered in one main vegetation type Eastern Free State Sandy Grassland (GM 4) within the Mesic Highveld Grassland Bioregion. Project description The total extent of the parent farm is approximately 624 hectares (ha), and the client owns 39.6872ha of the farm Franshoek and subsequently wishes to rezone and transform approximately 15 ha of the property by developing an inland diesel depot. The inland diesel depot, which is proposed will comprise of vertical bulk fuel storage tanks, with a total capacity of approximately 50 million litres and sufficient parking area for heavy vehicles. In addition, a diesel transportation pipeline of approximately 700 metres is envisioned for development, from the prevailing railway line located south of the proposed property. The proponent envisions that diesel which is delivered at the coastline of KwaZulu-Natal will be transported via train to Swinburne, and subsequently be pumped through a 10” carbon steel pipeline from the railway line to the inland diesel depot. The prevailing access road (Old School Road) will be upgraded to accommodate additional traffic. Previously the property was actively cultivated and comprised a primary school for the local community, however the school has been shut down, and the prevailing school building has been transformed and upgraded by Di-Thabeng Logistics into a dining hall and restrooms for their staff i.e. truck drivers. Currently Di-Thabeng Logistics occupies approximately 9 500 m2 within the boundaries of the proposed property and lease the area from the property owner Di-Thabeng Truck and Taxi (Pty.) Ltd. Di-Thabeng Logistics constructed an office building of 105 m2 and added a battery room and generator room to the prevailing school building of 56 m2 and 36 m2 respectively. One (1) horizontal diesel storage tank has been erected on site 1 August 2019 with a storage capacity of 79 000 m3. In addition, grass islands and concrete pavement were constructed to ultimately direct heavy vehicles around the site. It is extremely important to note that no activity that requires an environmental authorisation has commenced and Di-Thabeng Logistics, that is already operational, will indefinitely operate separately from the proposed development that is being applied for in this application. This application therefore deals with the proposed development of an inland diesel depot with a storage capacity of approximately 50 million litres of diesel, a pipeline to transport diesel and sufficient parking for heavy vehicles.