Heritage Cases

Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (the applicant) appointed Setala Environmental as the independent environmental assessment practitioner (EAP) to undertake the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed power line and substation project. The EIA application is for the proposed strengthening of the electricity supply infrastructure for the Vergenoeg Mining project as well as other end-users. In addition to the Vergenoeg mine, this project will also supply electricity to other Eskom users. The communities that will benefit from the Electrification program are, amongst others, Matimpule, Katjibane, Loding, Marapjane, Masobe, Phake Thabeng. These communities are in the Rust De Winter Area. Eskom will utilise their Standard MV network which will operate on 22 kV, built with single wood pole structures. The 22kV network is below the threshold and the development thereof is therefore not a listed activity. Specific routes for the MV lines will be determined, with inputs from land owners and affected communities, by Engineering Surveyors after the project is raised. We hereby notify you that a Revised Draft BA Report for the above project is available for perusal. 1 The EAP requested DEA for an extension in terms of Regulation 19 (1) (b), of NEMA, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014, as amended. It was granted on 06 March 2020. 2 In terms of Regulation 19 (1) (b), of NEMA, 2014 as amended, this in short entails a notification that the basic assessment report, and EMPr, will be submitted within 140 days of receipt of the application by the competent authority, as significant changes have been made to the basic assessment report or EMPr. In this case, changes have been made to the Generic EMPrs. 3 The revised report, and specifically the Generic EMPrs are now subjected to another public participation process of 30 days.