Client: Vygekraal Cemetery Board
Vygekraal Cemetery Board - Expansion of the Vygekraal Cemetery, Rylands (DEA&DP Ref..: 16/3/3/6/7/1/A2/35/3056/22)
Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the expansion of the Vygekraal Cemetery and associated infrastructure on Erf 171553 and Erf 171554, Rylands was obtained on 11 of September 2015 (EA Ref:16/3/1/1/A2/35/3030/12) by means of a Basic Assessment (BA) process. It should, however, be noted that these erven are currently consolidated into the existing cemetery area, i.e. Erf 171555, Rylands. Condition 8.3 of the EA requires the following: “a ring of dewatering wells and pumps must be installed along the outside perimeter of the site prior to the implementation of the expansion activities; dewatering wells must be 6 m deep and connected at appropriate intervals to surface suction pumps; and approximately 2 m must be maintained between the bottom of the graves and the top of the water table on the site”.
In pursuance of this condition, the Vygekraal Cemetery Board contracted SLR Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SLR) to undertake a groundwater dewatering investigation at the site. The resultant report recommended, amongst others, that the site maintains groundwater levels between a minimum of 0.5 to 1.0 m below burial depth through active dewatering from the site’s new dewatering boreholes and any existing groundwater sumps and boreholes within the existing cemetery site.
In terms of Regulation 31 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014 (Government Notice Regulation [GN R] 982) promulgated under the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (No. 107 of 1998), a Part 2 (Substantive) Amendment process of the EA would be required. Authorisation of water uses in terms of Section 21 of the National Water Act, 1998 (No. 36 of 1998) (NWA) is also required since the required groundwater dewatering would trigger the following water uses: 21(a) – Taking water from a water resource and 21(j) – Removing, discharging or disposing of water found underground if it is necessary for the efficient continuation of an activity or for the safety of people.
A Water Use Licence Application (WULA) process is thus being undertaken, in parallel with the EA Amendment process, in terms of the Regulations Regarding the Procedural Requirements for WULAs and Appeals, 2017 (GNR 267 of 24 March 2017) (WULA Regulations, 2017) promulgated under the NWA.
SLR has been appointed by the Vygekraal Cemetery Board as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to undertake the Part 2 (Substantive) EA Amendment and WULA processes.
Contact
Name: -
Email: VygekraalAmendment@slrconsulting.com
Telephone: +27 21 461 1118
Status
Notice is hereby given, in terms of the EIA Regulations, 2014 promulgated under NEMA, that the EA Amendment Report prepared for the above-mentioned project has been made available for a 30-day public review and comment period from 24 November 2022 - 16 January 2023. Notice is simultaneously also given that the WULA process is being undertaken in terms of the NWA and the WULA Regulations, 2017 promulgated under the NWA for the afore-mentioned water uses.
Should you and/or your organisation wish to comment on any aspect of the EA Amendment Report or WULA, comments should be forwarded to SLR at the email address and telephone number shown above.
For comments to be included in the updated EA Amendment Report to be submitted for decision-making purposes, they should reach SLR by no later than 16 January 2023.
A 60-day comment period is being provided for the WULA – thus, comments on the WULA should reach SLR by no later than 13 February 2023.
By providing your personal information to submit a comment, you will be included in the SLR an Interested and Affected Party (I&AP) database, and you consent to SLR managing your information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (No. 4 of 2013). It is assumed that as an I&AP for this Project you authorise SLR to retain and use your personal information as part of a contact database for this and/or other Social and Environmental Impact Assessments (ESIA) and that you confirm your acceptance for SLR to contact you regarding this and/or other ESIA processes. SLR will not process your Personal Information, other than as permitted or required by ESIA processes, or as required by law or public policy. SLR will use reasonable, appropriate security safeguards to protect personal information, and to reasonably prevent any damage to, loss of, or unauthorised access or disclosure of Personal Information, other than as required for ESIA processes or as required by any Law or public policy. You may request for your Personal Information to be deleted from the I&AP database at any time by contacting SLR.