north west province state of the environment...

State of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, South Africa State of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, South Africa State of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, South Africa State of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, South Africa 1

NORTH WEST PROVINCE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORTNORTH WEST PROVINCE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORTNORTH WEST PROVINCE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORTNORTH WEST PROVINCE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT

OVERVIEW 2002OVERVIEW 2002OVERVIEW 2002OVERVIEW 2002 Compiled by: Danny Walmsley & Jay Walmsley

Mzuri Consultants, Pretoria.

Edited by: Stuart Mangold & Margaret Kalule-Sabiti

Directorate Environment & Conservation Management North West Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ contentscontentscontentscontents

FOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

GLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMS

LIST OF ACRONYMSLIST OF ACRONYMSLIST OF ACRONYMSLIST OF ACRONYMS

LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXESLIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXESLIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXESLIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXES

THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCETHE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCETHE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCETHE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCE

1.1.1.1. BACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

2.2.2.2. DRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGEDRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGEDRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGEDRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

3.3.3.3. PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCE

4.4.4.4. CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCE

5.5.5.5. IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCE

6.6.6.6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSESENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSESENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSESENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSES

7.7.7.7. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST PROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCEPROVINCE

8.8.8.8. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTRECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTRECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTRECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

9.9.9.9. BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY

10. 10. 10. 10. MapsMapsMapsMaps

11. 11. 11. 11. Contact detailsContact detailsContact detailsContact details

mailto:[email protected]




Overview 2002Overview 2002Overview 2002Overview 2002

State of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, SoState of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, SoState of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, SoState of THE Environment Report 2002, North West Province, South Africauth Africauth Africauth Africa 2

forewordforewordforewordforeword

As part of the ongoing South African environmental reporting programme I am proud to announce that the North West Province Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment has produced this Overview of the Provincial State of the Environment Report. This follows on from the 1995 North West Province preliminary State of the Environmental Report, the first of its kind in South Africa. I believe that this Overview and the full State of the Environment Report provide invaluable information on the environment in the North West Province in line with our commitment to sustainable development and principles of Agenda 21. Credible environmental information is an essential ingredient for effective sustainable development, policy-making and action planning. With sound information, the chances for improved and integrated decisions are increased through improving society’s awareness and understanding of key issues. The demand to establish and strengthen environmental reporting is high and this State of the Environment Report provides an effective means of highlighting key environmental issues for the Province to address. However, the report itself does not guarantee a better state of the environment and the future challenge is for the Province and its leaders to agree on what plans and actions should be supported and implemented. This will require an ongoing process of debate and agreement followed by the allocation of appropriate resources to strengthen sustainable development and environmental management. I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank the team of people who contributed to the drafting and final compilation of this high quality report. The preparation of this report has required substantial intellectual and practical endeavour and we are grateful for the contributions that have been made. B.E.E. Molewa, MPL. Member of the Executive Council Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment.



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Overview was commissioned by the North West Province Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment using information from the full State of the Environment report (SOER). The following persons and organisations are gratefully acknowledged for their roles and contributions in producing this Overview: Mr Eugene Breytenbach of the Directorate of Information Services in the Office of the Premier of the North West Province for his tireless commitment to the production of the high quality maps appearing in this Overview and the full NWSoER. Mr Christian Byrt of North West Communications Services for taking many of the photographs appearing in this report and assistance with the selection of photographs. Mr Garth Roberts of the NWDACE Media Unit and Ms Carla van der Vyver for providing additional photographs. Prof. Braam de Villiers of the Geography Dept., Potchefstroom University and Mr Richard Newbery of the North West Parks and Tourism Board for kindly providing slides from their personal collections for use in this publication. Ms Lize Marais from the Consortium for Language and Dimensional Dynamics for her patience, tireless dedication and creative inputs in the layout and design of this Overview. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism for making donor funding available from the Norwegian Agency for Development (NORAD) to complete the drafting of the full provincial SoER on which this Overview is based. A comprehensive list of authors, contributors and reviewers appears in the full provincial SoER which is on this CD as well as on the websites of the North West Province (http://www.nwpg.org.za/soer) and the Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism (http://www.environment.gov.za/soer/reports/northwest).



GLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMS Alien species: Animals and plants invading and becoming established in areas where they do not normally occur. Aquifer: Underground accumulation of water in certain types of geological formation. Basic sanitation: The prescribed minimum standard of services necessary for the safe, hygienic and adequate collection, removal, disposal and purification of human excreta, domestic waste water and sewage from households including informal households. Basic water supply: The prescribed minimum standard of water supply services necessary for a reliable supply of sufficient quantity and quality of water to households, including informal households, to support life and personal hygiene. Biodiversity: A measure of the number and relative abundance of biological species. The variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems. Biome: A major biotic unit consisting of plant and animal communities having similarities in form and environmental conditions, but not including the abiotic portion of the environment. Bush encroachment: Conversion of a grassland-dominated vegetation type to one that is dominated by woody species, as well as increasing woody plant density. Catchment: The land area from which a river or reservoir is fed, also known as a drainage basin or watershed. Climate change: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change as a change which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. Communal areas: Areas where the land is owned and managed communally. Individuals in the communal areas generally have few rights to own and sell land, especially large parcels of rural land. Desertification: The process by which an area or region becomes more arid through loss of soil and vegetation cover. Dolomitic springs or eyes: Sources where underground water emanates from dolomite. Effluent: That water which flows out of a man-made system into a river, usually waste water. Eutrophication: The process whereby nutrients accumulate in a body of water.



Exotic: Imported from outside South Africa. Global warming: Increase in mean global temperature as a result of an increase in the concentration of atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour. Gross domestic product (GDP): Total value of final production of goods and services within a specific time frame, usually a calendar year. Gross geographic product (GGP): The sum of all economic activity in a defined geographic area. Habitat: The normal abode or locality of a living organism defined by the set of physical, chemical and biological features. Human development index (HDI): HDI measures the overall achievements in a country in three dimensions of human development, namely: longevity; knowledge; and standard of living. Igneous: Volcanic. Indigenous: Born, growing, or produced naturally (native) in an area, region, or country. Informal settlement: Houses (often of a temporary nature) erected on land of which the majority have not formally been proclaimed and serviced for residential use. Land degradation: Reduction in capacity of the soil or vegetation to support life, through the damage to physical, chemical or biological properties, contributing to an unsustainable ecological system (see degradation). Land transformation: The conversion of land usually from natural habitat to human uses such as agriculture or settlements. Natural heritage: Natural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view. Natural resource: A physical or biological resource available in the natural environment. Non-perennial: Temporary or not flowing throughout the year. Nutrient: Any food constituent or ingredient that is required for or aids in the support of life. In aquatic biology, usually a limiting nutrient, an element whose scarcity can limit plant growth (e.g. phosphorus, nitrogen and sulphates). Pan: A small closed basin temporarily filled with water, generally a feature of semi-arid areas of low relief. Perennial: Flowing or occurring throughout the year.



Pollution: Defilement or unfavourable alteration of the surroundings, normally as a result of human actions. In the water environment, any foreign substance that impairs the usefulness of water. Poverty: A certain level of material deprivation below which an individual suffers physically, emotionally and socially. There are a number of methods of determining this level of deprivation. Productivity (economic): The output of an organisation or individual in relation to the materials, labour, etc. it employs or consumes. Radioactivity: The spontaneous decay of an atomic nucleus (especially of elements with a high number of protons in it) by emitting either electromagnetic radiation (gamma-radiation) or high energy particles (protons: alpha radiation, electrons: beta radiation). Rare and endangered species: Species that have naturally small populations, and species which have been reduced to small (often unstable) populations by man’s activities. Riparian: Referring to or relating to areas adjacent to water or influenced by free water associated with streams or rivers on geologic surfaces occupying the lowest position on a watershed. Salinisation: Increase in the amount of salts or dissolved solids in the water or the process by which salts accumulate in soils, to the detriment of cultivated plants. Species diversity: A measure of the number and relative abundance of species (see biodiversity). Subsistence: In the context of resource use, this suggests harvesting and use of marine resource(s) strictly for household consumption. Toxicity: Capacity to cause injury to a living system, such as a human body, or parts of the body (such as the lungs or the respiratory system); or an ecosystem. Toxicity represents the kind and extent of damage that can be done by a chemical. Toxicity in the environment may be chronic or acute, with the latter being more detectable and noticeable by people. Urbanisation: The process by which an increasing proportion of an area’s population becomes concentrated in (legally or statistically defined) urban areas. Veld: Southern African term for natural vegetation, usually grassland or wooded grassland, typically containing scattered shrubs or trees.

Water quality: The value or usefulness of water, determined by the combined effects of its physical attributes and its chemical constituents, and varying from user to user.

Wetland: Area of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.



LIST OF ACRONYMSLIST OF ACRONYMSLIST OF ACRONYMSLIST OF ACRONYMS AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome CD Compact Disc CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and

Flora CMA Catchment Management Agency CSD Commission for Sustainable Development CONNEPP Consultative National Environmental Policy Process DACE Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment DEAT Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism DWAF Department of Water Affairs and Forestry DPSIR Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response Model ECA Environment Conservation Act (Act No. 73 of 1989) EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIP Environmental Implementation Plan EMP Environmental Management Programme EMPR Environmental Management Programme Report FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation GDP Gross Domestic Product GGP Gross Geographical Product GHU Geo-hydrological Unit GIS Geographical Information System HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus IEM Integrated Environmental Management IDP Integrated Development Plan LDO Local Development Objective LED Local Economic Development MAR Mean Annual Runoff MEC Member of the Executive Council NEMA National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) NEEP-GET National Environmental Education Project for General Education and Training NORAD Norwegian Agency for Development NGO Non-governmental Organisation NW North West NWA National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) NWDACE North West Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment NWPTB North West Parks and Tourism Board POP Persistent Organic Pollutant RDA Recommended Daily Allowance SDI Spatial Development Initiative SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SMME Small Micro and Medium-sized Enterprise SoE State of the Environment SoER State of the Environment Report UN United Nations UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UV Ultra-violet WHO World Health Organisation WCED World Commission on Environment and Development WMA Water Management Area



LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXES LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXES LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXES LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES and BOXES Figure Headings Figure 1: Geographical location of the North West Province. Figure 2: Map of the North West Province. Figure 3: Population and demographic distribution for the District Municipalities of the

North West Province. Population density (persons/km2) for each District Municipality is also given. Figure 4: Sectoral economic growth in the North West Province (actual versus targeted

growth). Figure 5: Agricultural land use in the North West Province by type of enterprise. Figure 6: Sources of energy for cooking in (A) urban areas and (B) rural areas in the

North West Province. Figure 7: Number of cultural heritage sites in the North West Province. Figure 8: Percent reduction in MAR in specific catchments as a result of alien

vegetation. Figure 9: The main different types of environmental management responses. Figure 10: A graphical representation of an Environmental Decision Support System. Table Headings Table 1: Economic growth rate, unemployment, water and sanitation needs in the

North West Province for 1998. Table 2: Comparative characteristics of communal and commercial districts in the

North West Province. Table 3: The number of known species of terrestrial biodiversity (excluding

invertebrates) in North West Province. Table 4: Permits issued by North West DACE permit office for the trade in live wildlife. Table 5: Percentage of households living in sub-standard conditions in the North West

Province by region in 1996. Table 6: A provisional set of environmental indicators for the North West Province. Boxes What is meant by the Environment? What is Sustainable Development? What is the DPSIR Framework? Constitution of South Africa Potential sources of air pollution Potential causes of toxicity in the Province Criteria for selecting indicators



THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCETHE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCETHE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCETHE NORTH WEST PROVINCE AT A GLANCE The North West Province of South Africa is bordered by the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo (formerly Northern) Province, the Northern Cape and the Free State, and the Republic of Botswana (Figure 1). It is the sixth largest of the nine provinces in South Africa covering a total area of 116 320 km² (approximately 9,5% of South Africa).

Figure 1: Geographical location of the North West Province. Most of the Province (71%) falls within the Savanna Biome, while the remainder falls within the Grassland Biome. There are four major ecological zones in the Province: (i) the Highveld in the South-east, (ii) the Bushveld in the north-east, (iii) the Middleveld as a narrow zone between the Highveld and the Bushveld, and (iv) the Kalahari desert in the west. The climate of the Province is characterised by well-defined seasons with hot summers and cool sunny winters. The climate and rainfall varies from the more mountainous and wetter eastern region to the drier, semi-desert plains of the Kalahari in the west. The rainy season usually occurs from October to March. The Province is almost malaria-free with only isolated cases being reported. The North West Province has a total population of approximately 3,4 million (8% of the national total) with some 65% of the population living in rural areas. The more populated industrial centres include Rustenburg, Brits and Ga-Rankuwa in the eastern region of the Province. Mafikeng is the provincial capital and was the administrative centre of the Bophuthatswana homeland (from 1978 to 1994). It was also the governing centre of the British Bechuanaland Protectorate prior to 1960. Other major towns include Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Lichtenburg, Ventersdorp and Vryburg. The North West Province currently comprises four district municipalities and 21 local municipalities. A recent local government restructuring has reduced the number of districts and local municipalities by amalgamating predominantly White municipalities with surrounding poor predominantly Black areas.



The Province is one of the poorest in South Africa with a provincial gross geographic product (GGP) of R 3 964 per person, which is well below the national average of R 6 498. The Gini coefficient, a measure of income inequality, is above 0,6 in the Province, placing it amongst the most unequal regions in the world. Rural poverty and rural-urban income differences exacerbate social problems such as violence, crime and HIV infection. The estimated unemployment rate is 38%, slightly higher than the average in South Africa. Unemployment rates amongst women is above 50%. Some 30% of the adult population is illiterate, the highest figure among all provinces in South Africa. Mining forms the back-bone of the provincial economy, contributing 42% to the GGP and 39% to the employment. The mining sector is dominated by large platinum mines and smelters in the Rustenburg area, as well as the gold mines of the Orkney and Klerksdorp areas. Agriculture is the second-most important sector, with 13% of the GGP and 18% of employment. Maize and sunflowers are the most important crops grown, while cattle and game farming are also well-established. Tourism is widely considered to have a major growth potential as the Province is located adjacent to Gauteng, the socio-economic hub of South Africa. The present status of land tenure is complex with the majority of land being privately owned. Approximately 10% is state-owned, and large areas are under tribal administration, particularly in the former Bophuthatswana homeland areas of Eastern, Central and Bophirima regions.

Figure 2: Map of the North West Province



1. BACKGROUND 1. BACKGROUND 1. BACKGROUND 1. BACKGROUND The Environment and Sustainable Development There is currently a growing concern about the state of the world’s environment. During the last century, human activities have caused impacts that have dramatically altered the Earth’s environment. During this period, global population has risen from an estimated 1,65 billion in 1900 to 6 billion in 1999. This coupled with twentieth century technological and industrial advancements, has led to unprecedented consumption of the Earth’s natural resources without adequate replenishment or cognisance of the environment’s capacity to absorb the large volumes of wastes generated. The extent of modern Man’s impact on the planet has been so great that the long-term survival of the Earth’s ecosystems and integrity of its natural resources (on which human life depends) has become a major international issue. Some environmental issues of global concern are:

• Global warming and climate change; • A decrease in the UV protective ozone layer surrounding the Earth; • Desertification; • Biodiversity loss; • Deforestation; • Loss of wetlands and degradation of freshwater systems; • Depletion of numerous non-renewable resources (oil, minerals), and • Pollution of several major marine resources (particularly the Mediterranean Sea,

the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea). Over the last 30 years, the United Nations (UN) has focused considerable attention to the international management of the Earth’s environment (e.g. World Commission for Environment and Development, WCED; United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP; Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO; World Health Organisation, WHO, and numerous International Conventions and their Secretariats). In the 1980s, the UN highlighted that there was a need for all countries to find a balance between economic and social demands that were being placed on the world’s natural resources. It was believed that this would ensure the preservation of ecosystems and the conservation of the natural resources on which economic and social systems depend. This balanced approach was termed “sustainable development”.

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE ”ENVIRONMENT”?

”the surroundings within which humans exist….that are made up of the land, water and atmosphere of the earth;

micro-organisms, plant and animal life; any …interrelationships among and between them and the physical, chemical aesthetic and cultural properties and conditions that influence human health and well-being”.

National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) Act No. 107 of 1998



How can Sustainable Development be achieved? An approach to sustainable development, known as Agenda 21, was developed at the 1992 UN Conference on the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro (UNCED). South Africa, as a signatory of Agenda 21, is committed to following this approach, at national and local levels. In accordance with South Africa’s commitment, the North West Province has also responded by embarking on a number of sustainable development orientated programmes, such as North West 2010.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?

The WCED defines sustainable development as: ”development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future

generations to meet their own needs.”

Sustainable development refers to development that aims for equity within and between generations, and adopts an approach where the

economic, social and environmental aspects of development are considered in a holistic fashion.

State of the Environment Reporting Agenda 21 calls for regular monitoring and reporting on the state of the Earth’s environment. Formal state of the environment (SOE) reporting is advocated as a means of providing decision-makers and society at large with a regular description about:

• The current state of the environment and trends of change; • What is causing environmental change; • Progress on the previous activities and programmes that have been put in place to

address environmental change; and • Recommended future activities that need to be implemented in order to improve

the state of the environment. The South African Government and its provinces have numerous environmental reporting obligations. These apply to: • The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA; Act No. 107 of 1998) states that

“every person is entitled to have access to information held by the State relating to the state of the environment, and actual and future threats to the environment.” Access to environmental information at a national, provincial and local level is essential to upholding these rights.

• NEMA also stipulates that the Minister must compile an Annual Performance Report, whose purpose is to provide an audit of the government’s performance in respect of implementing Agenda 21 to the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD). South Africa is obliged to report to the UN on implementation of Agenda 21 programmes.

• South Africa is also party to several Multilateral Environmental Agreements (such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, and the United Nations Convention to Combat



Desertification etc) that highlight monitoring and reporting obligations of the country. Under the auspices of DEAT, there have been several initiatives to promote SOE reporting at national, provincial and local government levels. Most provinces and many local authorities have developed, or are in the process of developing, their own programmes of SOE reporting. In 1999, DEAT launched the first National State of the Environment Report on the Internet for South Africa, together with reports for four South African cities (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria). As part of South Africa’s ongoing environmental reporting programme, the North West Province has developed this current provincial SOER, which builds on from a preliminary SOER compiled by the Province in 1995 (the first of its kind in South Africa). What are the objectives of the North West Province SOER? The main objective of the North West SOER is to provide valuable environmental information to support sustainable development in the Province. Other objectives of this report are to:

• Inform decision-makers of the current state of our knowledge of the North West

Province’s environment; • Establish the provincial information base with regard to current and future

environmental trends; • Indicate trends in the environment of the North West Province (including trans-

boundary issues); • Identify gaps in knowledge of the North West Province’s environment and what

needs to be done to address these; • Support management decisions for environmental protection and sustainability; • Serve as a baseline for future environmental management decisions; • Complement and provide information for the next edition of the national SOER; • Benchmark the Province’s environmental management practices against

international trends; and • Provide information for environmental education and training for decision-makers

and the general public. The North West Province SoE reporting framework Both this Overview and the full version of the North West Province SOER, use the Driving Forces-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) reporting framework advocated by both the UN and DEAT. According to this framework, the biophysical environment, and social and economic developments (driving forces) exert pressure on the environment and, as a consequence, the state of the environment changes. This leads to impacts on human health, ecosystems and natural resources that may elicit a societal response that feeds back on all the other elements of the framework. This Overview is, therefore, arranged in sections that describe the driving forces, pressures, state, impacts and responses relating to the environment of the North West Province.



2. DRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE2. DRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE2. DRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE2. DRIVING FORCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE What are Driving Forces? The main driving forces that have been identified in the North West Province include physical characteristics of the environment (e.g. geology and water resources), climate, human population and its distribution, economic activity, and policy and legislation. Physical characteristics

Physical characteristics such as geology, topography and soils are the main components of the physical environment of the North West Province. Natural features of interest include: • The Province has one of the most uniform terrains of all the South African provinces,

with altitudes ranging from 920-1782 metres above mean sea level. • The central and western parts are characterised by gently undulating plains, while

the eastern section is more mountainous and includes the scenic Magaliesberg. • The north-eastern and north-central areas of the Province are largely dominated by

ancient igneous rock formations. The Gatsrand between Potchefstroom and Carletonville is considered to be one of the most ancient landscapes preserved anywhere in the world.

• The geology of the Province (see Map 1), is significant because of its mineral resources which are rich in exploitable platinum, gold, uranium, iron, chrome, manganese and diamonds.

Climate Climate plays an important role in determining the availability of water resources, the nature of the natural landscape and vegetation types. There is a wide variation in climate throughout the Province as illustrated below: • On average, the western part of the Province receives less than 300mm per annum,

the central part around 550mm, while the eastern and south-eastern parts receives over 600mm (see Map 2). Rainfall is highly variable both in time and regionally.

• Droughts and floods occur regularly at both provincial and local scales. They play a significant role in almost every aspect of the social, economic and ecological environment within the Province.

• Evaporation exceeds rainfall in most parts of the Province. • There are wide seasonal and daily variations in temperature, being very hot in summer

(daily average high temperatures of 32ºC in January) and mild to cold in winter (average daily minimum in July is 0,9ºC).

• The far western part is arid, encompassing the eastern portion of the Kalahari Desert. The central part of the Province is typically semi-arid, with the eastern part region being predominantly temperate.

Administrative characteristics The North West Province, with an area of 116 320 km2 is the sixth largest province in



South Africa. The Province is currently divided into four district municipalities (the Bophirima, Central, Southern and Bojanala Platinum) and 21 local municipalities (see Map 3). The former Eastern District Municipality has recently been incorporated into the Bojanala District Municipality. Human population and its distribution Population is a key Driving Force because human activities can be linked to almost every aspect of environmental change. Human activity is responsible for the creation of cities, settlements, infrastructure, economic developments. Key population features of the Province are: • There are approximately 3,4 million people in the Province which is the sixth most

populated province in South Africa. The majority of the people are found in the Eastern District Region (see Figure 3) which also has the most dense demographic distribution (208 people/km2). Bophirima District Region has the least population with the least demographic density (10,43 people/km2).

• The population is currently growing at a rate of 3,1% per annum, thus increasing the need to meet the food and energy requirements of the people.

• About 3,1 million people are of African descent (91,2%), while Whites make up 6,6%, Coloureds 1,4% and Asians 0,3%. The male-female ratios are 49,2% and 50,8% respectively. The population is relatively young, with a high percentage of teenagers, and more than 33% of the total population is younger than 14 years old.

• The Province is predominantly rural, with 65,1% of the population living in rural areas and 34,9% in urban areas. However, the rate of urbanisation is increasing, largely due to the lack of employment opportunities in rural areas.

Figure 3: Population and demographic distribution for the District Municipalities of the North West Province in 1996. Population density (persons/km2) for each District Municipality is also given. Economic activities Economic activities have a major influence on the environment because of their reliance



on natural resources (e.g. water, land, energy, vegetation, animals) to create wealth and employment. Resources are depleted or degraded, and wastes are produced that are detrimental to the environment. In general, areas of high economic activity experience the most severe environmental problems (e.g. Rustenburg and Brits). The economy of the Province is relatively small, with a 4,9% contribution to the South African national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is mainly natural resource based, with main contributors being the mining (35.5%) and agricultural (35%) sectors . Over the past decade there has been a decline in economic growth within the Province (0,6%) with numerous jobs being shed. Recently an increase in the manufacturing, retail and tourism sectors (see Figure 4) has led to diversification and upswing in the economy, with a 2% growth rate being reported in 2001.

Figure 4: Sectoral economic growth in the North West Province in 2001 (actual versus targeted growth). Policy and legislation The evolution of environmental policy and legislation generally follows a continual iterative process in which present laws reflect what society believes should be done to solve a historical situation that has become unacceptable. Current environmental policy and legislation should, therefore, embody environmental management practices intended to attain the desired present and future state of the environment. Both past and present policies and legislation are powerful driving forces in shaping the state of the environment. Like the rest of South Africa, the environment of the North West Province has been affected by historical policies and legislation of the colonial and apartheid eras. Post-1994 national policies and legislation introduced during the last 5 years are currently being implemented. Environmental management in the North West Province is mainly driven by national and international priorities and requirements (e.g. CITES, Agenda 21, Convention of Desertification). Outdated provincial ordinances such as the Cape and Transvaal Nature



Conservation Ordinances and Bophuthatswana Acts are still being used in the Province.

If implemented effectively the post-1994 national legislation should form one of the major driving forces by which the state of the North West Province’s environment can be improved.

Management of the environment is considered to be a provincial competency under the Constitution of South Africa. The North West Provincial Government has not fully exercised its Constitutional powers, as it has not yet promulgated its own province-specific environmental legislation. Some key national legislation, which impacts on environmental policy and management in the Province, includes the:

• Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996); • National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998); • Environment Conservation Act (Act No. 73 of 1989); • National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998); • Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act (Act No. 45 of 1965); • Minerals Act (Act No. 50 of 1991), and • Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (Act No. 43 of 1983).

CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH AFRICA

“Everyone has the right - (a) to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and (b) to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future

generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that - (i) prevent pollution and ecological degradation; (ii) promote conservation, and (iii) secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.”

Section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No 108 of 1996)

3. PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE3. PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE3. PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE3. PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE What are Pressures? Pressures are those direct or indirect stresses that affect the functioning and quality of the environment. The main pressures on the environment of the North West Province are from land-uses such as settlements, agriculture, mining, industry and other economic activities (see Map 4). Human settlements Most of the human settlements in the North West Province have been developed due to specific economic activities (e.g. mining, tourism, agriculture) and the availability of natural resources (such as water) to support them. The larger the settlement, the greater



the variety of pressures that are associated with it. All human settlements having impacts far beyond their boundaries because of the need to import resources and to dispose of wastes. The settlement patterns in the North West Province may be characterised as follows: • There are no large cities (> 1 million people) within the Province. • Distribution of settlements, particularly the smaller ones, has been highly influenced by

policies of colonialism and apartheid. Very few are self-sustaining and therefore rely on external resources for their existence (Table 1).

• Generally the rural settlements, informal settlements and traditional villages are on state or tribal land have poorly developed or few basic services. Most of the land in the Province is privately owned (see Map 5).

• There are numerous industrialised towns found in the eastern part where platinum and gold mining have stimulated development.

• The central part of the Province has many small towns that have developed to cater for agricultural activity in surrounding areas. The western part of the Province has fewer towns because of the arid climate and lack of water.

• Almost 23% of the population live in formal urban areas. • There is currently a high migration rate of rural males to the urban areas. • Commercial, industrial, and residential land uses, and the development of

infrastructure are estimated to contribute about 15% to total land use. Table 1: Economic growth rate, unemployment, water and sanitation needs in the North West Province for 1998.

Mining Mining is one of the key sectors of the North West Province which produces 70% of the world’s platinum from the mines in the Rustenburg Region, and about 25% of South Africa’s gold. Other minerals mined in the Province include diamonds, chrome, manganese, vanadium, nickel, silver, gabbro, dolerite, norite, shale, slate, banded-ironstone, crocodolite, travertine, limestone, dolomite, salt, wonderstone, fluorspar, and andalusite (see Map 6). Key features include: • Mining employs 18.5% of the active provincial labour force (approximately 100 000

workers). • There are 87 large active mines in the Province, which is 10% of the national total. • Most of the mining activity is in the Eastern, Southern and Bojanala Platinum Regions.

There is very little mining activity in the Bophirima Region.



• Alluvial diamond mining still occurs in ancient river beds within the Harts River catchment and some rivers in the central and southern regions.

Agriculture Agricultural activities exert pressure on the environment because of the use and modifications that are made to land, soils and vegetation. The North West Province has a dualistic agricultural economy, which is comprised of a well-developed commercial sector and a predominantly subsistence sector in communal areas (Table 2). Additional features of agriculture in the North West Province include: • Agriculture in the eastern, wetter parts of the Province largely comprises livestock and

crop farming, the central and southern regions are dominated by wheat and maize farming, while livestock and wildlife farming occurs in the semi-arid western region of the Province (see Map 4 and Figure 5). Approximately 54% of the surface area of the Province has been transformed by agriculture.

• There are approximately 7 600 commercial farms. The number of small-scale farmers in the former Bophuthatswana amounts to approximately 147 000.

• There are three major irrigation schemes on the Crocodile, Vaal and Harts Rivers. The Vaal-Harts irrigation area covers a total area of about 43 700 ha with wheat, maize and groundnuts taking 36%, 23% and 22% respectively of the total irrigated fields.

Figure 5: Agricultural land-use in the North West Province by type of enterprise.



Table 2: Comparative characteristics of communal and commercial districts in the North West Province.

Manufacturing Manufacturing is an economic process that converts primary products into secondary commodities. Some important facts about the North West Province include: • The manufacturing of non-metallic mineral products (24.9%), metal products,

machinery and household appliances (18.3%), and food, beverages and tobacco products (19.5%) account for the majority of manufacturing production.

• Brits, Rustenburg, Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom are the major contributors to manufacturing production, contributing between them more than 50% of total manufacturing production.

Retail and wholesale The wholesale and retail sector is the third largest economic sector in the North West Province and has increased in importance since 1990, growing to an output of R 4,7 billion in 1999 (5% growth per annum). The contribution to the provincial economy was 11,2% in 1999.

Tourism The North West Province, with its favourable geographical location close to the main hubs of Gauteng, as well as its eco-tourism potential and the mining industry is one of South Africa’s most visited provinces. Features of tourism include: • Preferred tourist destinations include: the Sun City/Pilanesberg complex, Magaliesberg,



and Hartbeespoort. Recommended new nodes include: Borakalalo Game Reserve, Vredefort Dome, Vaalkop Dam, and Ganyesa /Kalahari.

• Both foreign and local tourists visit the North West Province, with international tourism generating R1,4 billion in 1999.

• The Ga-Rankuwa, Brits, Hartebeespoort and Rustenburg area is under severe pressure from industrial mining and other developments. This area is also one of the tourism nodes in the Province that needs to be sustained.

• The main corridors for tourism are: Hartebeespoort-Rustenburg-Sun City-Madikwe Game Reserve; Hartebeespoort-Rustenburg-Zeerust-Mafikeng-Lehurutshe, and Gauteng-Potchefstroom-Klerksdorp-Wolmaransstad-Bloemhof.

Infrastructure development The North West Province has relatively good general infrastructure, including a road and rail network, air transport, post and telecommunication, electricity and bulk water supply. This is a historical status and the major issue of concern in the Province is the development and delivery of infrastructure services to areas that did not receive such infrastructure in the past. In virtually every sector the North West Province has inherited considerable backlogs in meeting basic infrastructure delivery standards.

Infrastructure development has exerted pressure on the environment through its association with the main towns of the Province and the transport/communication routes between them. This applies particularly to the southern and eastern parts of the Province (see Map 7). The current development of the Platinum Spatial Development Initiative (SDI) from Pretoria in the east to Lobatse in the north is another example. Infrastructure also has a positive effect through the establishment of numerous services that increase the quality of life throughout the Province. This includes: • The establishment and operation of water service providers (e.g. Goldfields Water

Board, Magalies Water Board, North West Supply Authority, Rand Water Board and the Western Transvaal Water Supply Company).

• The establishment of medical facilities, such as hospitals and clinics, health centres, mobile clinics and mobile vans, all of which serve rural and urban areas.

Energy The consumption of energy provides a useful measure of the economic and social status in an area. Although the Province does not generate any electricity, it is rated as the third largest Province in terms of electricity consumption (15%) in South Africa. The total electricity consumption has steadily increasing between 1994 and 1998 to a total of 27 920 Gwh (GigaWatt hours). This is mainly a reflection of increased energy-intensive industrial activities such as mining. Urban areas rely on predominantly on electricity to meet most of their energy needs (Figure 6A). The majority of households in non-urban areas use wood and paraffin, as an alternative to



electricity, for cooking purposes, and candles for lighting ( Figure 6B). However, the reliance of rural communities on fuel-wood, exerts pressure on the environment to meet demand. This is particularly evident in the immediate vicinity of settlements, where deforestation can occur.

Figure 6: Sources of energy for cooking in (A) urban areas and (B) rural areas in the North West Province.

Waste and pollution One of the major pressures in modern society is the generation of wastes (both solid and liquid) and their disposal. Waste generators in the Province consist of municipalities, informal settlements, industries, hospitals, agriculture and mines (see Map 8). Some of the main waste management features in the Province are: • There are 63 landfill sites in the Province, all of which accept general waste. Almost

355 000 tons of general waste is processed each year by municipalities. • The total remaining airspace in landfill sites is approximately 5 million m3, of which

only 17% meets minimum requirements. None of the regions, therefore, have more than 3,5 years of acceptable landfill sites.

• There is no hazardous waste site in the Province. Most of the hazardous waste is generated in the eastern and southern areas, but the amounts are less than 14000 m3 per annum and these areas are close to Gauteng where there are hazardous waste sites.

4. CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE 4. CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE 4. CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE 4. CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE What do we mean by State? Pressures have an impact on the environment resulting in a state that can be described by means of measuring and monitoring particular characteristics. The state of the environment reflects its condition over time or at a specific point in time. The ”state” refers to the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. At the provincial scale,



these “spheres” are represented by air quality, land and soil quality, water quantity and quality, biological diversity, human health and well-being and natural and cultural heritage. Air quality Although there is little information available on the state of air quality, atmospheric air quality is not considered to be a major problem in most areas in the Province. However, air quality in some urban and industrialised areas such as Rustenburg, Brits and Potchefstroom shows deterioration due to industrial and vehicular emissions. Air quality in settlements and houses that use coal and wood as a source of fuel for heating and cooking is also a cause of concern.

POTENTIAL SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION • Industry (including mineral processing): sulphur dioxide; nitrogen dioxide; carbon monoxide; carbon

dioxide; volatile organic compounds; heavy metals; total suspended particulates, and odours and noise. • Mining activities: particulate matter; asbestos fibres; heavy metals (e.g. vanadium, chrome), and odours

and noise. • Agriculture: methane; fungal spores and pollen, and odours and noise. • Transport: particulate matter; volatile organic compounds; lead; noise; nitrogen oxides, and carbon

oxides. • Human settlements: particulate matter; sulphur dioxide; smoke; carbon oxides, and fungal spores and

pollen. • Regional air movements between provinces: sulphur dioxide; nitrogen dioxide; carbon dioxide; methane;

volatile organic compounds, and fungal spores and pollen. Land and soil quality In general, the North West Province is showing signs of increased land and soil degradation (see Map 9). All magisterial districts show signs of degradation and desertification. The most severely affected are those that are communally managed. The Province, with a degradation index of 270, is ranked as the fourth worst affected province in South Africa. This has numerous negative consequences for agriculture in the Province such as decreased productivity of the croplands. Soil degradation through water and wind erosion is considered to be a major problem in the North West Province. The Province has a soil degradation index of 149 making it the fourth most degraded province in the country (see Map 10).

A comparison between commercial districts and communal districts, has shown that the average degree of soil degradation in commercial districts is at least 30% lower than in communal districts. Solid wastes and effluents from industry, manufacturing and households, as well as ammonium-based fertilisers and chemicals are the most important soil pollutants in the Province. The Province is the third highest province in South Africa in terms of the severity of veld degradation. The increase in the rate of degradation is a major concern. As with soil, veld degradation in the communal districts of the Province exceeds the veld degradation in the commercial districts.



Bush encroachment remains a serious problem in the North West Province (see Map 11). In nine of the districts there are areas where bush encroachment is so severe that the land is not reclaimable by farmers. The most important bush encroachment and alien invader species are Acacia, Mesquite, Syringa and Eucalyptus species. The Province is relatively lightly invaded by alien plant species. The extent to which of alien vegetation has invaded river catchments in the Province varies from less than 5% to greater than 10% of the surface area of tertiary catchments (see Map 12). Deforestation seems to be less of a problem in the Province than elsewhere in South Africa, mainly because there is currently an annual surplus of fuel wood of approximately 500 000 tons. Water resources

Water is considered to be the key limiting factor for development in the North West Province.

The surface waters in the Province are in the form of rivers, dams, pans, wetlands and dolomitic eyes fed by aquifers. Perennial surface water resources are generally scarce, particularly in the semi-arid western portion of the Province. Runoff as a percentage of the precipitation ranges from less than 1% in the west to approximately 7% in the eastern region, with the average runoff (6%) being below the national average of 9%. The main rivers are the Crocodile, Groot Marico, Hex, Elands, Vaal, Mooi, Harts and Molopo rivers. (see Map 13). The Province has over 40 wetlands and one Ramsar site, Barbers Pan, which is recognized as a wetland of international importance. The Province has a large reservoir of subterranean water in the form of fractured aquifers and dolomitic compartments. However, recharge to this precious resource is considered to be one of the lowest in South Africa with an average of less than 10 mm per year in the western region of the Province (see Map 14). The North West Province relies heavily on ground water resources to meet its needs. Sources of pollution of groundwater resources include mining and industrial activities, agriculture and domestic use. Main groundwater water quality issues in the Province include high levels of dissolved mineral levels (see Map 15), nitrates (see Map 16) and fluoride concentrations (see Map 17) in certain areas, due to both natural and human-induced factors. Vegetation of the North West Province Most of the Province (71%) falls within the Savannah Biome with its associated Bushveld vegetation. The remainder falls within the Grassland Biome, which contains a wide variety of grasses typical of arid areas. Ten different vegetation types are recognised, mostly belonging to the thornveld, bushveld or savannah grassland categories (see Map 18). With the east-west variation in climate and rainfall, there is a corresponding gradation in the vegetation types. The vegetation of the arid and semi-arid western region largely comprises Kalahari thornveld and shrub bushveld, while the central region is dominated by dry cymbopogon-themeda veld and the eastern region is characterised by a number of mixed bushveld types. Biological diversity The North West Province has wide array of species, ecosystem and habitats (see Table 3).



This is largely due to the diverse nature of the Province’s landscapes and variation in climate. The Province has several endemic species (such as the Aloe peglerae in the Magaliesberg), as well as rare and threatened species (e.g. wild dog). The indigenous fauna and flora inhabiting the numerous dolomitic eyes (particularly the aquatic invertebrates and fish) are also considered to be unique. The numerous non-perennial pans occurring in the Province provide important breeding and feeding habitat for waterfowl, amphibians and invertebrates which are adapted to the seasonal nature of these waterbodies. Table 3: The number of known species of terrestrial biodiversity (excluding invertebrates) in North West Province.

Taxonomic group No. species Plants 3025 Reptiles 95 Amphibians 25 Birds 395 Mammals 138

Conservation The Province has a total of 14 national parks and provincial reserves within its borders. The most well known are the Pilanesberg and Madikwe National Parks, which are administered by the North West Parks and Tourism Board. The Province also shares the Magaliesberg Protected Natural Environment with Gauteng (see Map 19). The total size of formally protected areas is 283 308 ha which amounts to approximately 2,4 % of the Province. This includes national parks, provincial nature reserves, private nature reserves and protected natural environments (e.g. Magaliesberg). This falls below the 10% of each vegetation type suggested by the 1992 UNCED Convention. There are 10 registered conservancies and several game farms or ranches in the Province. Of the total area of about 160 000ha of land committed to game farming, about 6% can be classified as true game farms. The remainder comprises game camps (fenced off portions of farms) that vary in size. The species being conserved on these farms are predominantly antelope such as kudu, duiker and steenbok. Other animals such as sable, Cape buffalo, gemsbok, eland, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest and even black rhinoceros also occur in the Province. The North West Province has some of the largest traders of wildlife in South Africa, who trade both nationally and internationally, bringing much-valued foreign exchange to the Province (Table 4). Several exotic species such as parrots and ornamental fish imported from elsewhere in the world are important for the well-established pet trade in the Province. Trade in indigenous medicinal plants (e.g. devil’s claw Harpagophytum procumbens) occurs in the Province, which requires regulation to ensure that sustainable harvesting is practiced. Provincial trade in biodiversity resources is difficult to quantify due to its multi-faceted scope.



Table 4: Permits issued by North West DACE permit office for the trade in live wildlife

Fishing and fishery resources Fishing and fishery resources in the North West Province largely occur in the Province’s impoundments. Fishing in these dams is mostly by recreational and sport fishermen. The main species being targeted for recreational angling are barbel, bass, carp, kurper, mudfish and yellowfish. For many rural communities in the Province, where food security is a major problem, fishing provides a source of protein. The development of community-based small-scale commercial fisheries on several dams in the Province is currently underway. Natural and cultural heritage There are many important cultural heritage sites within the Province (Figure 7). Stone Age and Iron Age sites are well represented, including Kruger Cave; the Bosworth Rock Engraving site; Thaba Sione near Mafikeng and the stone-walled settlement of Kaditshwene in the Madikwe area. South Africa’s past is also represented in the Province, including battlefields from the South African War such as the Battle of Silikaatsnek (1900). Numerous forts, graves and blockhouses from this period, are also abundant. The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and its associated tourism development is also partly located in the North West Province. The condition of the known cultural heritage resources found within North West Province is still relatively good. Several natural heritage sites and landscapes are situated within the national parks and nature reserves (see Map 19). Due to management initiatives and conservation by the North West Parks and Tourism Board these areas are well protected and development of these heritage sites is to some extent underway in the existing fourteen parks and reserves in the Province.



Figure 7: Number of cultural heritage sites in the North West Province. Human health and well-being Human health and well-being depend largely on the availability of employment, land, adequate housing, basic services, water supply and sanitation and an environment which is not harmful. The state of human health and well-being in the Province can be summarised as follows: • There is a housing backlog (146 000 units in 2000). Approximately 30% of people in

the North West Province are living in substandard dwellings (Table 5). Because many of these settlements are unplanned, they are often situated on marginal land and impact negatively on the environment.

• In the rural areas, one in three children displays marginal vitamin A status, 20% are anaemic and 10% are iron-deficient.

• Almost all White households (more than 99%) have access to tap water in their dwellings as opposed to 27% of Black households.

• The cost of supplying services to rural areas is very high, with insufficient government budget currently available.

• Only 26% of the population has access to private phones, 35% have communal access and 39% have no access at all to telephones.

• In rural areas only 21% of the people have access to electricity for lighting. • There is a high illiteracy rate (30 %) making environmental awareness very difficult to

address. • Twenty-three percent of antenatal females registered as HIV positive in 2000. AIDS

and its debilitating health and economic impacts is therefore a highly significant factor in the Province.

• Based on the UN Human Development Index, the Province is the 3rd lowest of South Africa’s provinces in terms of quality of life.



Table 4: Percent of households living in sub-standard conditions in North West Province by region in 1996.

Region Percentage Eastern 29.3 Bojanala Platinum 33.6 Central 16.7 Southern 38.3 Bophirima 26.5 Provincial Average 29.3 Toxicity in the environment There is a paucity of information on the extent and concentration of toxic substances (e.g. Persistent Organic Pollutants POPs) in the environment of the North West Province, and their impact on human health and well-being. However, radiation and radioactivity are recognised as threats to human well-being in the North West Province. The main sources of radioactivity in the environment are gold and uranium mining. Uranium deposits, associated with gold-bearing reefs, are found in the south-east of the Province in the Orkney, Potchefstroom, Stilfontein and Klerksdorp areas. The most important radioactive compounds in the Province are Uranium-238, Thorium-230, Radium-226 and Radon-222.

POTENTIAL CAUSES OF TOXICITY IN THE PROVINCE

• Incineration of medical waste from hospitals (tissue, blood, swabs, needles); • Application of herbicides and pesticides in the communal and commercial crop farms; • Different forms of pollution from mines and other industries; • Emergence and growing number of informal settlements; • Disposal of household waste classified as hazardous; • Burning of plastics, and • Poor sanitary conditions and facilities.

5. IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE5. IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE5. IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE5. IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE What are Impacts? Impacts are the direct or indirect results of pressures exerted on the environment and can be in the form of primary impacts (e.g. change in water quality) or secondary impacts (e.g. water treatment costs). Based on the DPSIR framework they can also be related to impacts on the state of specific natural resources. There is little monitoring of impacts in the Province and few statistics are available. The impacts mentioned below are the probable result of pressures on the environment mentioned previously in Section 3. Air quality Impacts of pressures on air quality include: • Increases in the concentration of pollutants (e.g. due to sulphur dioxide being



transformed into sulphuric acid and nitrous oxide into nitric acid in the atmosphere) in ambient air that cause changes such as reduced visibility (e.g. dust), climate change, reduced ozone layer etc.

• Ecological impacts caused by fallout of such material (e.g. acid rain, changes in soil and water chemistry, loss of habitats and biodiversity).

• Human health impacts such as eye irritations, cardiovascular diseases and pulmonary problems.

• Infrastructure impacts such as deposition of material and corrosion of surfaces. Land and soil quality

Impacts of land transformation and soil degradation can include: • Marginal and degraded lands becoming ecologically unsustainable. • Habitat transformation, impaired ecosystem functioning and loss of biodiversity. • Reduced crop, and rangeland productivity and reduced livestock carrying capacity. • Increased soil erosion and increased air pollution due to dust. • Desertification due to overgrazing and erosion. • Increased susceptibility of degraded landscapes to alien plant invasions. • Degradation of landscape quality and reduced tourism. • Increased prices for farming commodities, and decreased economic viability.

Water resources Impacts on water resources include: • A decrease in water availability from excessive abstraction and effects of alien plants

(e.g. blue gums and poplars) in river catchments (Figure 8). • Declining water quality from salinisation, acid mine drainage, industrial effluents and

stormwater runoff in urban areas. • Degradation of aquatic ecosystems and their functioning, due to pollution,

eutrophication and the proliferation of alien plants species (e.g. water hyacinth). • Loss of habitats and biodiversity, due to sedimentation and invasion by alien plants and

fish (such as largemouth bass). • Increase in costs to provide water of acceptable quality. • Decrease in access to aquatic resources for recreation and tourism.



Figure 8: Percent reduction in MAR in specific catchments as a result of alien vegetation. Biodiversity

Impacts on biodiversity include: • Loss of sensitive species and habitats leading to non-viability of biotic populations. • Proliferation of “weedy” species altering the ecosystem composition. • Invasion of ecosystems by alien plant and animal species. • Loss of carrying capacity and ecosystems becoming unable to support human and

animal requirements. • Ecosystems becoming severely compromised (ecosystems unable to purify wastes). • Loss of income from trade on flora and fauna. Natural and cultural heritage Impacts on natural and cultural heritage resources include: • Loss of heritage resources and tourism value due to development. • Neglect of heritage resources due to insufficient funding and personnel. • Loss of cultural knowledge and traditions due to the fact that this information is not

being passed down from one generation to the next, as well as the adoption of western culture.

• Damage from natural events and processes such as desertification, soil erosion, weathering and flooding.

• Loss of aesthetic appeal of natural areas due to tourism developments.



Human health and well-being

Impacts on human health and well-being include: • Poverty and lack of employment. • Lack of access to resources and services. • Increased exposure to disease and toxic conditions. • Increased vulnerability to change. • Sub-standard and unaesthetic environmental conditions. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSES6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSES6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSES6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSES What are Responses? Responses refer to actions that society carries out in order to rectify or improve a specific situation. Implementation of these responses is intended to have a feedback on Driving Forces and Pressures, ultimately to reduce negative impacts and thereby improving the State of the Environment. Responses fall into several categories (see Figure. 9). This section describes some of the key responses that the Province has put into place within the respective categories as shown in the box below. Policy

Policy development may be defined as “the process by which the wishes of society are established and documented” Development of policy forms an important response activity as it dictates which responses are acceptable to the community. Over the last eight years the Province has participated in the development of both national and provincial policy on environmental management. These have included participation in, or organisation of, numerous policy-making exercises, including:

• The consultative CONNEPP process that has developed national policy for

environmental management; • The Integrated Pollution Control process that has developed a national waste

management policy; • Development of national Agenda 21 and Local Agenda 21 policies and programmes; • The development of numerous national IEM policies and procedures, and. • White Papers on Biodiversity, Energy and Minerals.



Figure 9: The main different types of environmental management responses. Legislation Legislation forms a key response because it provides a means by which policies are enforced by defining responsibilities and methods of ensuring that actions take place. The Province has played a strong participatory role in the development of all new national legislation that has related to environmental and natural resource management. This has included, amongst others:

• National Environmental Management Act (1998); • Environment Conservation Act (1989) and related EIA regulations; • National Water Act (1998); • National Forests Act (1998); • National Heritage Council Act (1999); • National Heritage Resources Act (1999); • National Nuclear Energy Act (1999), and • Water Services Act (1997).

Governance Sustainable development is dependent on good governance at the provincial and local levels, as well as the integration of social and economic considerations in environmental management. There are several facets to governance that include: roles and responsibilities, planning, implementation and information management.



Role and responsibilities of Provincial Government An understanding of the role of the Provincial Government forms an important part of how responses will be dealt with and managed. The South African Constitution defines the environment as a “functional area of concurrent national and provincial legislative competence”. This means that the provincial government has responsibility for environmental governance issues and has significant powers of authority. The North West Provincial Government has defined its role in environmental governance as:

• Remaining informed on, and participating in the development of, all national

environmental policies and legislation; • Communicating and negotiating with stakeholders; • Promoting environmental awareness; • Co-ordinating and integrating policy directives into implementation by all

provincial government departments; • Monitoring and reporting on the status of the Province’s natural resources; • Assessing the environmental impacts of policy and development initiatives; • Leading and supporting local authorities; • Providing capacity building in environmental management for local authorities,

and • Taking responsibility for the management of natural resources as designated by

provincial and national legislation.

Catchment Management Agencies Co-operative governance forms the foundation of national environmental legislation, (e.g. NEMA and NWA). The NWA advocates the establishment of Catchment Management Agencies within designated water management areas (WMA’s), of which there are four in the Province (see Map 20). The Marico/Crocodile West CMA is one of three pilot CMA’s currently being established in South Africa, bringing water resource management closer to the people living within the WMA. Environmental planning Planning provides a means by which outcomes can be better assessed and managed. There have been numerous planning initiatives within the Province, including: • The Integrated Development Planning Framework which considers the following to be

essential to achieving sustainable development in the Province: ! Provincial law, which regulates the sustainable development decision-making

process and guides the districts and local municipalities; ! A spatial zonation plan covering provincial, district and local municipal levels; ! Operational capacity of the integrated environment-related service delivery

systems at provincial, district and local municipal levels, and ! Increased implementation capacity of integrated sustainable development at

district, local municipal and grassroots levels in selected pilot districts and



municipalities. • Environmental Implementation Plans (EIPs), which are statutory instruments for the

promotion of co-operative governance for environmental management between different spheres of government. The North West Province produced its first EIP in 2001.

• Local government is also required to facilitate several legislative planning and development processes which impact on the environment. The legislative development

and planning processes at local level include: ! Local Development Objectives (LDOs) as required by the Development Facilitation

Act (Act No. 67 of 1995); ! Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), which are strategic plans compiled by local

authorities to guide all their development and budgeting processes. These plans are required to cover physical, social, economic and institutional environments. The IDP is a five-year plan (up- dated, however, on a yearly basis) aimed at the integrated development and management of the area of jurisdiction of the local authority in terms of its powers and duties;

! Local Agenda 21 programmes that require various planning and development processes facilitating sustainable development.

Implementation of policies, plans and programmes Policy, legislation and planning are all responses that set the scene for specific actions necessary for effective implementation. Without implementation of policies, plans and programmes there can be no effective environmental management or reversal of negative environmental trends. Three key areas of implementation are outlined below. Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) - IEM is a code of practice to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated in the development and management of all activities. It is one of the cornerstones of NEMA and is based on principles of sustainable development. Tools for IEM include Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). IEM and its recommended procedures has been practiced by the Province for several years. Some examples of developments that have undergone EIAs in the Province include:

• Mining operations; • Smelting operations in Rustenburg; • Parks and resorts on nature reserves and farms; • Estate developments adjacent to Hartebeespoort Dam; • Township developments; • Filling stations; • Power stations; • Telecommunication structures; • Establishment of landfills, and • Road development for the N4 Platinum SDI.

The mining activities, heavy industry, medium and small-scale industries, some agricultural activities, township developments and service infrastructure in the formal housing areas in the North West Province are not being adequately regulated at present. Suitable



environmental standards, respective licensing and permit systems, compliance monitoring and control are crucial in ensuring that development takes place sustainably in the North West Province. Challenges experienced by North West DACE regarding applications in terms of the EIA regulations include:

• Insufficient financial and human capacity; • Lack of interaction between government departments regarding environmental

management; • Insufficient monitoring of compliance to conditions laid out in permits.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is an instrument used for integrating environmental issues into the formulation of plans and programmes. However, the application of SEA as an environmental management tool, is not legally binding. Programmes of action - Programmes of action are projects or programmes that address specific environmental issues or problems. Some key programmes and projects include: • South African LandCare Initiative, which is based on the ideal of sustainable

agricultural resource utilisation as the foundation for establishing a conservation ethic. The National LandCare Programme is a community based and Government supported land management programme. It offers financial support to LandCare community groups who identify, implement and monitor the conservation activities needed to address their land degradation problems. LandCare projects are funded and co-ordinated on national level and carried out on Provincial and local level. Several LandCare projects have been undertaken in the North West Province, including: Watervoorsien, Tseoge communal veld improvement project, Ba-Ga Phetlho Morafe Ranch, Heuningvlei Morafe Ranch II, Slough communal veld improvement project, Kiang Kop veld utilization and Bona-Bona Bush Control project.

• The Primary Schools Nutrition Programme that aims to make a 25% contribution towards the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for primary school pupils; feed

345 721 rural primary school pupils and feed 30 234 urban primary school pupils per year.

• The Working for Water Programme focuses on eradicating invasive alien plants and on rehabilitating wetlands (through the Working for Wetlands programme). The programme was launched in 1995 and provides employment and improves the life-skills and quality of life of rural and urban communities. There are currently several provincial wetland rehabilitation projects underway (Soshunguwe-Tswaing, Boitekong-Rustenburg, and Molopo).

Environmental rehabilitation - Rehabilitation of degraded areas and sites is an important component of effective environmental management. Unless this is carried out such areas remain unable to fulfil their potential in terms of contributing to sustainable development. Rehabilitation of the environment is required after activities such as mining, construction, agricultural development and waste disposal. Rehabilitation includes the development of management strategies to restore and maintain physical, chemical and



biological ecosystem processes in degraded environments. The main rehabilitation initiatives have been in mining, landfills, agricultural lands and wetlands. Environmental rehabilitation activities in the Province include: • Environmental Management Programme Reports (EMPRs) - The Minerals Act (Act No.

50 of 1991) requires that EMPRs, containing rehabilitation plans, be submitted and approved by the authorities before any mining activity can start. During 1998, 493 Environmental Management Programmes (EMPs) were approved in the Province.

• The several abandoned asbestos mines in the western region of the Province urgently require rehabilitation as they are a major health threat to nearby communities.

• Not much rehabilitation of landfills has been achieved to date. • To address the issue of the rehabilitation of degraded agricultural land, the South

African LandCare Initiative was launched in 1998. LandCare projects are funded and co-ordinated on national level and carried out on Provincial and local level. Local communities are considered to be the stakeholders of LandCare projects.

• Wetlands currently being rehabilitated in the North West include the Molopo Eye, Malmane Eye, Boitekong wetland and Boekenhout wetland.

Ambient environmental monitoring An important aspect of environmental management is the assessment of environmental impacts through ambient environmental monitoring, compliance monitoring and auditing. Ambient environmental monitoring is important to track both long- and short-term changes. It includes the collection of pertinent environmental data and information in a regular and standardised manner, and compiling successive audit or analysis results. Current monitoring initiatives within the North West Province include:

• Air quality monitoring by government and industry; • The River Health Programme, which monitors biological changes in the river

systems; • Department of Water Affairs and Forestry surface and groundwater monitoring of

physical and chemical parameters; • Water quality monitoring by various river forums on important rivers and

streams; • Borehole water quality monitoring by NWDACE; • Local water quality monitoring of effluents and water supplies by municipalities

and industry; • Monitoring of landfills and hazardous waste disposal sites by DWAF and

NWDACE; • Soil quality monitoring by the Agricultural Research Council; • Harvesting of wild populations of medicinal plants such as devil’s claw by

NWDACE; • Hunting and adherence to quotas on tribal lands by NWDACE.



Information management and reporting Good governance and sound environmental management depends on the ability to make informed decisions, based on good quality environmental information. Information systems are reliant on the collection of data through monitoring programmes, warehousing of electronic information which underpins decision support systems, for the purpose of SOER reporting (See Figure 10). Environmental information at North West DACE is currently being warehoused under one electronically-accessible system. It consists of a repository of environmental information together with software for spatial representation (GIS) and modelling. This is the basis of the Environmental Decision Support System at North West DACE.

Figure 10: A graphical representation of an Environmental Decision Support System Environmental education and capacity building One of the key responses by which society can achieve action is that of developing human resource capacity. Capacity building measures within the North West Province include environmental awareness programmes and environmental management capacity building.



Environmental education programmes are becoming increasingly important in the North West Province. The Province is in the process of implementing Curriculum 2005 and the environment has been integrated into all learning programmes. Environmental education has been introduced as an ancillary course at colleges of education and at the University of the North West to improve environmental awareness at the tertiary level. Four community-based environmental resource centres have been established in North West Province, at Pilanesberg, Buxton, Ga-Rankuwa and Lotlamoreng. These centres pro-actively create a culture of environmental awareness and sustainable development amongst the citizens of the Province. The national environmental education project (NEEP-GET) has been established in the North West Province. The main aim of the project is to integrate environmental learning in the training of teachers. NEEP-GET is currently operating in six districts in the Province, vis. Mafikeng, Zeerust, Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Rustenburg and Vryburg. Community environmental awareness is being promoted through the Capacity Building Sub-Directorate of the North West DACE has initiated several projects, including: • Establishing conservation clubs, which spread knowledge and understanding of

conservation and environment, and create awareness in communities of sustainable resource utilisation.

• Developing and presenting resource utilisation courses, such as the Trackers Course (March and April 2000) and the Tribal Clerks Course (October 2000).

• Undertaking environment and conservation awareness campaigns such as the Enviro 2000 road show.

• Developing and managing conservancies. 7. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE7. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE7. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE7. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE What are Environmental Indicators? For State of the Environment Reporting to be useful it is important that relevant information is collected and presented to decision-makers in a user-friendly and standardised format. This information must cover the important issues that affect the social, economic and ecological environment. Environmental indicators measure features of the environment and describe the situation so as to highlight changes in and the extent of driving forces, pressures, state, impacts and responses. A provisional set of Environmental Indicators The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is currently developing a set of national indicators that can be used to describe the State of the Environment in South Africa. This initiative is in line with the international approach to implementing Agenda 21 through monitoring and reporting on sustainable development.



This national indicator initiative cannot succeed without the involvement and co-operation of the provinces because it depends on the gathering of information at a provincial and local level. It is, therefore, important that each province should develop its own set of indicators that, apart from monitoring and describing the provincial state of the environment, also contributes to the national assessment of the state of the environment. The North West Province has participated in the national indicator programme, but still has to select which indicators are most relevant for the Province. A set of proposed indicators, derived from this participatory process is presented in Table 6.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING INDICATORS

For indicators to be useful, they must meet certain criteria:

• The indicator, or the information it is calculated from should be readily available; • An indicator should be easy to understand, and must be about something measurable; • An indicator should measure something believed to be important or significant in its own right; • An indicator should be based on information that can be used to compare different geographical areas,

social groups etc, so that a picture of distribution - and not just totals and averages can be built up.



Table 6: A proposed set of environmental and sustainable development indicators (Source DEAT, 2001).

Issue Indicator Fre-quency Scale

Emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane) 5 Yearly National

Energy use (fossil fuels vs. non-fossil fuels) Annually National Energy intensity Annually National Mean annual temperature deviations Annually Provincial

Climate Change

Annual rainfall deviations Annually Provincial Emissions of ozone depleting substances Annually National Stratospheric

Ozone UVB trends Monthly Local Ambient sulphur dioxide concentration Monthly Urban Area

Air Quality Ambient nitrogen dioxide concentration Monthly Urban Area Environmental flow requirements 5 Yearly Catchment Surface water resources per capita 5 Yearly National Surface water demand versus available resources Annually Catchment Water use (sectoral requirements) 5 Yearly National People supported by groundwater 5 Yearly National

Freshwater Resources

Groundwater withdrawals as % of annual recharge 5 Yearly GHU Surface water toxicity Annually WMA Surface water nutrients Annually WMA Surface and groundwater salinity Annually WMA/GHU Surface and groundwater microbiology Annually WMA/GHU

Freshwater Quality

Groundwater nitrate Annually GHU Aquatic habitat integrity Annually WMA Wetland alteration 5 Yearly Catchment Aquatic biodiversity Annually WMA Alien invasive organisms 5 Yearly WMA

Freshwater Ecosystem Integrity

Riparian vegetation 5 Yearly WMA Desertification 5 Yearly National Soil loss 5 Yearly National Soil acidification 5 Yearly National Soil salinisation 5 Yearly National Land degradation 5 Yearly National

Land Condition

Persistent organic pollutants 5 Yearly National Land cover 5 Yearly National Land Use Land productivity versus potential 5 Yearly National Extent of conserved areas 5 Yearly National Extent of natural areas remaining 5 Yearly National Disturbance regimes: fire frequency 5 Yearly National

Habitat Change

Disturbance regimes: flood and drought 5 Yearly National Threatened and extinct species per taxonomic group 5 Yearly National Endemic species per taxonomic group 5 Yearly Provincial Population trends of selected species 5 Yearly National Alien (non-indigenous) species per taxonomic group 5 Yearly National

Species Diversity

Distribution and abundance of selected alien species 5 Yearly National Contribution to job creation: conservation areas Annually National Contribution to job creation: eradication of alien species Annually National Resource

Value Economic contribution of commercially utilized indigenous/terrestrial/freshwater species Annually National

Status of natural heritage resources 5 Yearly Regional Investment into natural heritage resources 5 Yearly National

Natural Heritage Resources Visitors to natural heritage resources Annually National



Issue Indicator Fre-

quency Scale

Urban/rural population 5 Yearly Local Size of urban area 5 Yearly Local Housing density 5 Yearly Local Green space per settlement 5 Yearly Local

Human Settlements

Contaminated land per settlement 5 Yearly Local Population growth rate Annually National GDP/capita Annually National Life expectancy Annually National Adult literacy rate Annually Provincial Employment rate Annually Provincial HIV/AIDS incidence Annually Provincial Household energy use 5 Yearly Provincial Access to water 5 Yearly Provincial

Socio-economic

Access to sanitation 5 Yearly Provincial General waste produced per capita per year Annually Provincial Waste

Generation Hazardous waste produced per sector per year Annually Provincial Available landfill lifespan 5 Yearly Provincial General waste correctly disposed Annually Provincial Hazardous waste correctly disposed Annually Provincial Municipal waste management expenditure Annually Local Municipal kerb-side collection capacity Annually Local Waste recycling Annually Provincial

Waste Reduction

Value of waste recycled Annually Provincial Government capacity for environmental management Annually National Budgetary allocation to natural resource management Annually National Budgetary allocation to environmental education Annually National Budgetary allocation to environmental research Annually National Inclusion of integrated environmental management (IEM) into IDPs &SDIs Annually Provincial

Conciliation cases Annually National Voluntary adoption of environmental management systems Annually National Voluntary use of environmental accounting & reporting Annually National

General Environ-mental Management

Environmental reporting by government departments Annually National 8. RECOMMEN8. RECOMMEN8. RECOMMEN8. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT The full SOER contains an extensive list of recommended approaches and actions to promote sustainable development and improve the status of the Province’s environment and its management. This Overview presents some of the key recommendations that are considered to be of high priority. They relate to environmental management deficiencies within the categories of social, economic, policy/legislation, biophysical, heritage resources and integrated issues. Social: • As inequality and associated poverty is one of the biggest challenges to achieving

sustainable development, there is an urgent need for the economic upliftment of rural areas, which have become degraded and unproductive because of poverty, unemployment, urban migration, and inefficient use of natural resources.



• There is a need for a Provincial programme to mitigate the social and economic impact of HIV/AIDS.

• Appropriate welfare support for unemployed and disadvantaged persons should remain a high priority. A programme that promotes sustainable alternative livelihoods for unemployed persons is advocated.

• A provincial environmental awareness programme is required. • The provincial programme of delivery of housing and basic services should be subject

to IEM procedures. Economic: • The economy of the Province still requires further diversification to make use of the

Province’s rich natural resources. The North West Province Industrial and development Plan should receive priority in terms of its implementation.

• Government should create projects that create employment opportunities such as the Working for Water Programme.

• Integrated Environmental Management should form the basis of all further development.

• Creation of SMME’s with an environmental focus such as waste recycling. Policy and legislation: • Consolidation of fragmented and outdated provincial environmental legislation is

required. • Development of a provincial strategy on the sustainable use of natural resources is

required. • There is a need to promote better coordination between local government and the

national and provincial departments involved in environmental management.

Biophysical: • An air quality management programme should be established with one of its first tasks

to assess the state of air quality in the province, especially in urban and industrialised areas (e.g. Rustenburg and Potchefstroom).

• Control of alien and invasive plants (bush encroachment) should be accorded high priority.

• Rehabilitation of certain mining areas, landfills and degraded areas requires urgent environmental management intervention (particularly the abandoned asbestos mines in the Bophirima region).

• Implementation of sustainable agricultural management practices is required. • The LandCare and Working for Water Programmes should be promoted and expanded

in the Province. • Water resource management requires attention, particularly the determination of

“Reserve” and resource quality objectives for important rivers such as the Marico, Molopo an Mooi Rivers.

• Pollution control of the water environment, particularly reservoirs and groundwater requires special attention (particularly Hartebeespoort and Bospoort Dams and dolomitic areas affected by mining in the southern, eastern and Bojanala regions).



• Management plans for dolomitic ecosystems such as the Marico, Molopo, Malmane and Gerhard Minnebron Eyes are required.

• Management plans for the protection of wetlands of provincial and national importance (particularly those which fall outside the boundaries of formally protected areas in the Province) are required.

• Improved control of the trade in fauna and flora is required, especially for rare and endangered species (e.g. Aloe peglerae) and medicinal plants (e.g. devil’s claw Harpagophytum procumbens).

Heritage resources: • There is a need to assess the current status and value of the Province’s cultural and

natural heritage resources. • There is a need to re-instate the Natural Heritage Programme, which could include

conservation and tourism, as well as according formal protection of important sites and areas.

• Management plans for important heritage sites and landscapes require development (e.g. Taung Heritage Site).

Integrated issues: • There is a need to encourage businesses to become more involved in environmental

concerns and management (especially wastes and their management). • The provincial environmental information management base needs to be upgraded,

particularly to incorporate routine monitoring, auditing and reporting. • Environmental human resource capacity in the province requires development,

particularly in academic and governmental institutions. • The Province’s waste management strategy and management programme requires

review. There is a need to implement this comprehensive provincial waste management strategy more effectively.

• Provincial environmental awareness programmes are recommended in order to ensure that the public at large is made aware of the importance of sustainable development and wise natural resource use.

• There is a need to select a set of indicators that can be monitored and used by the Province for future SOER. There is currently a set of proposed national indicators that have been advocated for this purpose.



9. BIBLIOGRAPHY9. BIBLIOGRAPHY9. BIBLIOGRAPHY9. BIBLIOGRAPHY African National Congress (ANC). 1994. The Reconstruction and Development Programme.

Cape Town, South Africa. Ballance, A. and N. King. 1999. State of the Environment in South Africa - An Overview.

Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Pretoria. www.ngo.grida.no/soesa. Curruthers, V. 2000. The Magaliesberg. Protea Book House, Pretoria. 388 pp.Davis, D.L. & P.H.N. Saldiva. 1999. World Resources Institute Environmental Health Notes.

WRI, Washington, 20pp. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. 1998b. Guideline Document to the EIA

Regulations. DEAT, Pretoria. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. 1999. National Environment Management

Act User Guide. DEAT, Pretoria. pp 5-14. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. 2000. Consolidated Environmental

Implementation and Environmental Management Plan. DEAT, Pretoria. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. 2001. National Core Set of Environmental

Indicators for the State of Environment Reporting in South Africa. Scoping Report. DEAT, Pretoria. .

Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. 2001. Sustaining Development in South Africa: An analytical review of progress towards sustainable development in South Africa. DEAT, Pretoria. 107 pp.

Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. 2000a. Guideline Document to Strategic Environmental Assessment in South Africa. DEAT, Pretoria.

Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 1998. Guide to Communities and their Groundwater Supply (North West), Edition 1. Directorate Water Services Planning, DWAF, Pretoria.

Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 1998a. North West Province Provincial Perspective: Community Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy. DWAF, Pretoria.

Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 1998b. North West Province, First Order Strategy. DWAF, Pretoria.

Fuggle, R.F. and M.A. Rabie. 1992. Environmental Management in South Africa. Juta & Co Ltd, Cape Town. 823 pp.

Low, A.B. and A.G. Rebelo (Eds). 1998. Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. DEAT, Pretoria. 85pp....

North West Province. 2001. North West 2010. An Agenda 21 Framework and Plan for Integrated and Sustainable Development in the North West Province. NWDACE, Mmabatho.

North West Province. 2001. Environmental Implementation Plan (EIP), 1st Edition. NW DACE, Mmabatho.

North West Province. 2001. Economic Development and Industrialisation Plan for the North West Province. North West Dept. of Economic Development and Tourism, Mmabatho. 127pp.

North West Province. 1998. A Tourism Masterplan for the North West Province of South Africa. Dept. Tourism, Environment and Conservation, Mmabatho. 119pp.

Walmsley R.D. & J.P.R. Pretorius. 1996. Environmental Indicators. Report No.1. State of the Environment Series. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Pretoria. 76pp.

World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). 1987. Our Common Future. Oxford University Press, New York. 383 pp.

World Health Organisation (WHO). 1990. Potential Health Effects of Climate Change. Geneva. www.ciesin.org/docs/001-007/001-007.html.

http://www.ciesin.org/docs/001-007/001-007.html



10. Maps10. Maps10. Maps10. Maps Map 1 North West Province geology Map 2 Mean annual rainfall in the North West Province Map 3 District and local municipalities in the North West Province Map 4 Main land uses in the North West Province Map 5 Land ownership in the North West Province Map 6 Mining in the North West Province Map 7 North West Province road and railway network Map 8 General waste volumes per annum and landfill sites Map 9 Extent of land degradation per magisterial district Map 10 Extent of soil degradation per magisterial district Map 11 Priority ranking of the extent of bush encroachment per magisterial district Map 12 Alien plant invasions in the catchments of the North West Province Map 13 Surface water resources of the North West Province Map 14 Mean groundwater recharge per annum in the North West Province Map 15 Concentration of total dissolved solids in the groundwater of the North West

Province Map 16 Concentration of nitrates in the groundwater of the North West Province Map 17 Concentration of fluorides in the groundwater of the North West Province Map 18 Vegetation types in the North West Province Map 19 Parks and nature reserves in the North West Province Map 20 Water Management Areas within the North West Province



11. Contact details11. Contact details11. Contact details11. Contact details

Director

Environment Conservation Management Head Office - Agricentre

Mafikeng

Private Bag X2039 Mmabatho

2735

Tel: 018-389 5772 Fax: 018-389 5006

Email: [email protected]

Deputy Director Environmental Impact Assessment

Head Office - Agricentre Mafikeng

Private Bag X2039

Mmabatho 2735

Tel: 018-389 5689 Fax: 018-389 5006


Deputy Director Environmental Technical Support Services

Potchefstroom

Private Bag X804 Potchefstroom

2520

Tel 018-299 6500 Fax:018-297 7135







Deputy Director

Environmental Education & Empowerment Rustenburg

PO Box 24 Rustenburg

0300

Tel: 014-592 8261/2 Fax: 014-592 2116


Deputy Director Environmental Capacity Building

Rustenburg


0300

Tel: 014-592 8261/2 Fax: 014-592 2116


Chief Air Pollution Control Officer Head Office - Agricentre

Mafikeng

PO Box 73 002 Lynnewood Ridge

0040

Tel/fax: 012-348 4641







Head

Environmental Laboratory Mafikeng

P.O. Box 5585

Mmabatho 2735

Tel: 018-384 0118 Fax: 018-384 0022


Principal Environmental Officer Environmental Information Management & Reporting

Head Office - Agricentre Mafikeng

Private Bag X2039

Mmabatho 2735

Tel: 018-389 5141 Fax: 018-389 5006


REGIONAL OFFICES

Central Regional Office

Mafikeng

Private Bag X2039 Mmabatho

2735

Tel: 018-381 0220/4 Fax: 018-381 5876





Eastern Regional Office

Rustenburg


0300

Tel: 014-597 3597 Fax: 014-592 3553

Western Regional Office Vryburg

PO Box 2891

Vryburg 8600

Tel: 053- 927 1809 Fax: 053-927 0436

north west province state of the environment...

Documents