Heritage Cases

Southern Ambition 1549 (Pty) Ltd proposes to develop an open cast manganese mine and associated infrastructure for East Manganese Mine. The open cast manganese mine pit will be on the farm East 270 (Portion 1 & Re) within the John Taolo Gaetsewe District in the Northern Cape. The farm is 1 017 ha in extent. African Heritage Consultants were appointed to undertake a Phase I Heritage Assessment. The brief was to survey the footprint and adjacent land in order to record all existing cultural and heritage resources and to assess potential impacts to heritage resources that might occur through the proposed development of the open cast manganese mine on the farm East 270 (Portion 1 & Re) (Figure 1). The planned development is located at 27° 9'36.90"S and 22°55'5.19"E The locality under review was visited between 8 and 10 May 2018 and inspected on foot. Visibility was good. The desktop literature study indicated a generally low level of heritage resources around Hotazel and within the immediate landscape. Prehistoric and historical settlement and utilization of the resources of the region focussed mostly on sources of water such as the GaMogara River, springs and pans. Traces of prehistoric occupations are mainly in the form of dispersed lithics that hint at previous living sites and subsistence activities. These include stone tools that are characteristic of all three successive periods of the southern African Stone Age. Stone tools were found in the vicinity of the Ga-Mogara River during the field survey. These were mostly isolated specimens and scatters of stone tools. A few Large Cutting Tools that are typical of the ESA were present. However, most of the lithics comprise representative MSA examples, while a few are more characteristic of LSA tool types. The stone tools that have been located were mostly in dispersed contexts. Where there were concentrations of lithics, these occurred in low densities of <10 tools per square metre. All of the identified scatters of stone tools are of low significance and no mitigation is recommended. Two informal cemeteries were located. Cemetery 1, demarcated with what is now a somewhat dilapidated fence, contains two graves and possibly another grave. Cemetery 2 contains around 18 graves. The graves are marked by headstones of calcrete cobbles and in two instances, banded iron stones. From consultations with the local farm workers it seemed that the graves have not been recently visited by any relatives. This is borne out by a complete lack of grave offerings. The cemeteries are situated outside the footprint of the proposed development and will not be impacted. While there is no objection to the proposed development based on a very low level of archaeological remains, the presence of graves identified during the survey has to be addressed. It is accordingly recommended that the two cemeteries should be clearly demarcated and fenced. Graves are deemed to have high cultural significance for their social value. The graves are accordingly graded as a Grade IIIA resource. This report will form part of the Environmental review process and public participation process