ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT: PROPOSED ......ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT: NEOTEL OPTIC FIBRE ROUTE NELSPRUIT – WHITE RIVER MAY 2016 4 meters on the other side. Drilling will be

WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT: PROPOSED

INSTALLATION OF VODACOM OPTIC FIBRE CABLE

BETWEEN NELSPRUIT, KABOKWENI AND WHITE RIVER,

MPUMALANGA PROVINCE

11 May 2016

Prepared for:

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT: NEOTEL OPTIC FIBRE ROUTE NELSPRUIT – WHITE RIVER MAY 2016

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Table of Contents

1. Background to the Project .................................................................................................................. 2

2. Method of installation ........................................................................................................................ 2

3. Relevant Environmental Legislation ................................................................................................... 4

4. Description of Environmental Management Processes ..................................................................... 4

5. Water Act ............................................................................................................................................ 5

6. Findings of the Site Visit ................................................................................................................... 14

7. Recommendations for the proposed Nelspruit, KABOKWENI – WHITE RIVER VODACOM OPTIC

FIBER INSTALLATION .............................................................................................................................. 17

8. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 17


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ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT: PROPOSED INSTALLATION OF

VODACOM OPTIC FIBRE CABLE BETWEEN NELSPRUIT, KABOKWENI AND

WHITE RIVER, MPUMALANGA PROVINCE.

This report serves four purposes:

1. To determine the need for Environmental Authorisation from the Mpumalanga Department

Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (DEDET);

2. To determine the need for a water use license from the Department of Water and Sanitation

(DWS);

3. To inform the proposed applicant of possible sensitive areas; and

4. To provide recommendations to minimise and mitigate possible negative impacts.

1. BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT

Neotel, on behalf of Vodacom, proposes to install approximately 83 kilometres of fibre optic cable

along provincial and local road reserves and within the municipal boundaries of Nelspruit, Kabokweni

and White river, Mpumalanga Province (refer to Appendix B). The applicant will have to apply for the

relevant wayleaves from all Stakeholders, i.e. Municipalities, roads authorities etc. Thereafter, they

can proceed with construction if they adhere to the recommendation and limitations as set out in

this report.

2. METHOD OF INSTALLATION

The installation will occur by means of two (2) installation methods, namely, overhead cable

installation and underground cable installation. Below is a detailed explanation of the two

installation methods to be used:

Overhead cable installation:

Approximately 77.17 kilometres of the line will be constructed using overhead cables. The

installation will occur by using 9 meter and 11 meter poles:

The 9m poles will be planted at a depth of 1.5 m and a hole will be opened for this purpose

with the dimensions of 0.35m x 0.35m (= 0.1225m² or 0.147 m³);

The 11m poles will be planted at a depth of 1.7m and a hole will be opened for this purpose

with the dimensions of 0.45m x 0.45m (= 0.2025m² or 0.3038 m³); and

Poles will be planted at intervals ranging between 80 and 280 metres.

When watercourses are to be crossed, poles will be planted outside the 32 meter range of

either side of the watercourse. This means that the cable will stretch a maximum distance of

164 meters, and falls within the limit of 280 meters. For this reason, no poles will be planted

within the 32 meters of a watercourse, nor within the watercourse itself.

Road crossings will take place in the same manner as above and poles will be planted on either


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side of the road to meet national and provincial road regulations.

Underground cable installation:

Approximately 5.39 kilometres of the line will be constructed using underground cables. The

installation will occur by means of trenching:

Trenches with a width of 450 mm and one (1) meter deep will be opened.

In areas (most of the urban areas) where mechanical trenching is impossible, hand trenching

methods will be used. This will be done by using picks and shovels.

In instances where roads and or railways are to be crossed, a directional drilling method will be

used. This means drilling below the road surface from one side to the other.

In instances where watercourses (Rivers / Steams) are to be crossed, a directional drilling

method; bridge attachment or overhead method will be used. This will however not

constitute a “Water Use” in terms of the National Water Act, Act 36 of 1998 as the

installation will not change the characteristics of such watercourse and will not impede or

divert the flow of water in anyway.

Crossing of watercourses:

Overhead crossings:

Nineteen (19) overhead cable crossings will take place as indicate in the “stream crossings Table

below”. The coordinates of the crossings is also in the table for reference together with a photo of the

crossing. The Method of installation will take place as follows:

The 9m poles will be planted at a depth of 1.5 m and a hole will be opened for this purpose

with the dimensions of 0.35m x 0.35m (= 0.1225m² or 0.147 m³);

The 11m poles will be planted at a depth of 1.7m and a hole will be opened for this purpose

with the dimensions of 0.45m x 0.45m (= 0.2025m² or 0.3038 m³); and

Poles can be planted up to 280 metres from each other.

When watercourses are to be crossed (only where the watercourse crossings are 100 meters

or less), poles will be planted outside the 32 meter range of either side of the watercourse.

This means that the cable will stretch a maximum distance of 164 meters, and falls within the

limit of 280 meters. For this reason, no poles will be planted within the 32 meters of a

watercourse, nor within the watercourse itself.

Directional Drilling Methods (HDD):

Six (2) directional crossings will take place as indicate in the “stream crossings Table below”. The

coordinates of the crossings is also in the table for reference together with a photo of the crossing.

The Method of installation will take place as follows:

Drilling will be used to drill below the watercourse, from one end to another.

Drilling will start outside the 32 meters on the one side, and will surface again outside the 32


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meters on the other side.

Drilling will be two meters below the water surface of the watercourse.

No material will be imported or exported from the watercourse.

Drilling will also be used to drill below roads, and railway lines (if applicable).

3. RELEVANT ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

Enviroworks has identified, based on the information provided to us by the client and during a site

visit undertaken on 23 March 2016, the following Environmental Legislation:

Legislation and Process Name Permit Type Competent Authority

National Heritage Resources Act,

1999 (Act No. 25 of 1999) (NHRA)

Notification in

terms of Section

38

South African Heritage

Resources Agency (SAHRA)

4. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

The following Listed Activities, in terms of the EIA Regulations of 2014 and the NHRA will be triggered

by the proposed optic fibre route.

Table 1: Activities listed under Section 38 of the NHRA, 1999.

National Heritage Resources Act, Act 25 of 1999

Section 38: Activities triggered Project Activity/ Component

38. (1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (7),

(8) and (9), any person who intends to undertake a

development categorised as—

(a) the construction of a road, wall, powerline,

pipeline, canal or other similar form of linear

development or barrier exceeding 300m in length;

must at the very earliest stages of initiating such a

development, notify the responsible heritage

resources authority and furnish it with details

regarding the location, nature and extent of the

proposed development.

The proposed optic fibre cable is a linear

activity with a length exceeding 300m and

therefore the South African Heritage

Resources Agency (SAHRA) must be notified

of the project.


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5. WATER ACT

In terms of the National Water Act, Act 36 of 1998, any water use that is made in terms of Section 21

of the Act, requires authorisation from the Department of Water Affairs (DWA). As a result that

bridge attachments or overhead cables will be used, it is our opinion that the activity will not

constitute a Water Use in terms of Section 21 of the Act.

Figure 1: Google Earth Image of the stream crossings along the proposed fibre route


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Pictures, method of crossing and coordinates of the 26 stream crossings

No. Coordinates Photo

1 Stream Crossing

Directional Drilling

25°28'11.63"S,

30°59'1.49"E

2 Stream Crossing


25°27'54.87"S

30°59'14.54"E

3 Stream Crossing


25°27'50.57"S,

30°59'13.78"E


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4 Stream Crossing

Overhead Installation

25°27'39.81"S,

30°59'23.53"E

5 Crocodile River


25°27'50.20"S,

30°59'54.77"E

6 Stream crossing


25°27'16.57"S,

31° 0'47.16"E


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7 Stream crossing


25°27'2.26"S,

31° 2'13.29"E

8 Stream crossing


25˚18’41.91”S,

31˚3’37.68”E

9 Stream crossing


25°27'53.57"S,

31° 5'0.18"E


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10 Stream crossing


25°28'33.05"S,

31° 9'4.42"E

11 Stream crossing


25°28'47.41"S,

31°10'21.69"E

12 Stream crossing


25°28'35.48"S,

31°10'30.28"E


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13 Stream crossing


25°28'19.97"S,

31°10'32.28"E

14 Stream crossing


25°27'37.23"S,

31°10'35.43"E

15 Stream crossing


25°24'46.06"S,

31° 9'28.01"E


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16 Stream crossing


25°24'19.76"S,

31° 9'2.47"E

17 Stream crossing


25°23'14.07"S,

31° 8'56.97"E

18 Stream crossing


31° 8'56.97"E,

31° 8'59.45"E


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19 Stream crossing


25°22'41.71"S,

31° 8'57.41"E

20 Stream crossing


25°22'9.23"S,

31° 8'48.17"E

21 Stream crossing


25°21'17.69"S,

31° 7'56.36"E


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22 Stream crossing


25°20'54.90"S,

31° 7'57.54"E

23 Stream crossing


25°20'49.27"S,

31° 7'3.86"E

24 Stream crossing


25°20'20.37"S,

31° 4'15.81"E


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25 Stream crossing


25°19'3.23"S,

31° 3'43.03"E

26 Stream crossing


25°18'13.78"S,

31° 2'29.38"E

6. FINDINGS OF THE SITE VISIT

This section indicates possible sensitive areas, with photographs, as identified during the site

assessment. Refer to Appendix A for additional photographs of the proposed development area.

Findings of the Nelspruit, Kabokweni – White River Optic Fibre Route

The proposed route of the cable is shared between the towns of Nelspruit, Kabokweni and White

River with the majority of the fibre route situated on the road reserve and rural areas between the

two municipal areas.

A total of twenty six (26) water courses were identified along the proposed optic fibre route during

the site visit. The banks of the watercourses in general is much degraded with the presence of

several Alien Invasive Plant Species.

Several indigenous tree species were found along the proposed route. None of these tree species is


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protected, vulnerable or threatened. The tree species includes the following:

Celtis africana White stinkwood

Erythrina lysistemon Common coral tree

Ficus sur Broom cluster fig

Vachellia sieberana Paper bark thorn

Vachellia xanthophloea Fever tree

These trees will not be affected by the installation methods. Other areas are mostly covered by grass.

The following Aloe Simii species is Critically Endangered and needs to be protected at all times.

Figure 2: Critically Endangered Aloe Simii not to be removed or damaged without the required permits.


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If any of these species (Aloe Simii), or any other endangered species, needs to be relocated, a Permit

must be applied for in terms of the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act, Act 10 of

2004.

It is also important to note that the the proposed route will traverse a Bird Sanctuary (Gazetted as a

Nature reserve) just North East of the Town White River as per the image below. No more than

300m2 of vegetation may be cleared in this area. This will result in a Basic Assessment report to be

Approved by the Department of Environmental Affairs.

Figure 3: Google Earth Image of the bird sanctuary Northeast of White River


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7. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED NELSPRUIT, KABOKWENI – WHITE RIVER

VODACOM OPTIC FIBER INSTALLATION

In order to minimise environmental impacts on the area, the following recommendation are made by

Enviroworks:

Due to the length of the proposed cable route, SAHRA must be informed of the proposed

activity (Enviroworks is willing to undertake such consultation sessions);

It is recommended to compile a Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) for the

construction and operational phase of the project (Enviroworks can assist in the preparation of

such a EMPr);

Limit the removal of natural vegetation in the areas;

It is recommended that no trees may be removed without the required authorisation; and

The applicant will have to apply for the relevant way leaves from all Stakeholders, i.e.

municipalities, road authorities etc.

8. CONCLUSION

It is Enviroworks’ opinion, based on the terrain assessment, desktop study and legislative review, that

the proposed optic fibre route does not trigger any listed activities in terms of the National

Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014 and therefore does not need Environmental Authorisation

before commencement of construction.

Enviroworks is also of the opinion that no water use in terms of Section 21 of the National Water

Act. Act 36 of 1998 will be triggered and therefore the project does not need a Water Use license.

However, an application for exemption must be submitted to the relevant Department of Water

and Sanitation.

The South African Heritage Resources Authority must be informed as the activity triggers Section

38(1) of the Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 38 of 1999).

The following should be done before construction may commence:

Due to the length of the proposed activity (exceeding 300m in length) the South African

Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) must be notified of this development in terms of Section

38(1)(a) of the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 38 of 1999).

It is recommended that an Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) be compiled for

the project and must be available upon commencement of construction activities.

It is recommended to appoint a suitable qualified Environmental Control Officer during the

construction of the proposed project.

An application for Amendment to the Water Use License must be submitted to the Relevant

Department of Water and Sanitation.


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Appendix A

Photographs of the Nelspruit,

Kabokweni- Witrivier route


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Appendix B

Google Earth image of the Nelspruit,

Kabokweni – White river route


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Documents

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT: PROPOSED ......ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT: NEOTEL OPTIC FIBRE ROUTE NELSPRUIT – WHITE RIVER MAY 2016 4 meters on the other side. Drilling will be