EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

As part of South Africa's ongoing environmental reporting programme, the North West Province Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (DACE) has developed this provincial State of the Environment Report (SoER). This comprehensive report follows on from the preliminary SoER compiled by the Province in 1995 and is supported through the national state of the environment reporting initiative of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). It is envisaged that this SoER will provide valuable information on the North West Province's environment in line with the Province's commitment to sustainable development.

The structure of the report is based on the Driving-force-Pressure-Impact-State-Response (DPSIR) framework of the European Union. The North West Province State of the Environment Report (NWPSoER) consists of six parts comprising 18 chapters respectively:

Part 1: Background to State of the Environment Reporting and Sustainable Development
Part 2: The Environment of the North West Province
Part 3: Pressures on the Environment of the North West Province
Part 4: Key Environmental Issues in the North West Province
Part 5: Environmental Management Responses
Part 6: Environmental Management Recommendations

Part 1: Background to State of the Environment Reporting and Sustainable Development

This section consists of Chapter 1, which is an introduction to the environment and sustainable development; South Africa's environmental reporting obligations; state of the environment reporting and the structure and design of the North West Province State of the Environment Report (NWPSoER).

According to the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998) the environment is defined as 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".

Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs) and the principles of Agenda 21.

The vision of sustainable development has several goals. It requires: This SoER will assist in determining the North West Province's progress towards these goals.

In South Africa, reporting on the state of the environment is a statutory requirement in terms of the Environment Conservation Act (Act No. 73 of 1989; Section 13(e)) and will be stipulated in the amended National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998).

The National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) states that every person as well as organs of state are entitled to have access to information held by the State on the state of the environment and actual and future threats to the environment (Section 31(1)). Access to environmental information at a national, provincial and local level is essential to upholding these rights.

The NEMA also specifies that the Minister must initiate an Annual Performance Report, which essentially audits of the government's performance in respect of Agenda 21, to review procedures for co-ordinating policies and budgets, and to review progress on a public educational programme to support the objectives of Agenda 21.

State of the environment (SoE) reporting provides information on the current state of the environment, what is causing environmental change and what is being done about it. The aim is to improve understanding of environmental and sustainable development issues, to elucidate environmental trends and to inform decision-making. This includes the: The North West Province State of the Environment Report 2002 has a number of objectives. These include: Recent trends in SoE reporting have included the use of environmental sustainability indicators which are basically a set of environmental management tools to "keep a finger on the pulse" of long-term environmental trends. They focus and condense information about complex issues using a standardised set of parameters (spatially and temporally comparable) to inform environmental management, monitoring, reporting, and decision-making.

Part 2: The Environment of the North West Province

Part 2 provides a description of the biophysical, social, economic and policy and legislative characteristics of the North West Province. It outlines some of the driving forces that influence the state of the environment in the Province, and provides a context for the issues that are discussed in Part 3.
Chapter 2 provides an overview of the biophysical characteristics of the North West Province. The Province occupies a total area of 116 320 square kilometres, covering 9,5% of the total area of South Africa and is the sixth largest province in the country. The main biophysical characteristics of the Province include: Chapter 3 presents the social characteristics of the North West Province, including demographics, education, employment, health, safety and security, welfare and general quality of life. The North West Province has a population of 3,4 million residents (8,3% of South Africa's population), and an annual population growth rate of 3,1%. Some 33,9% of the total population are younger than 14 years old. Most of the population lives in the rural areas (65,1%), but high unemployment and poverty rates are leading to an increase in urbanisation. 60,7% of the population are economically active, of which 37,7% are unemployed. The North West Province also has an illiteracy rate of 30%, which is significantly higher than the South African national average. Of particular concern to the Province is the high incidence of HIV/AIDS, which affected almost 23% of pregnant women in the year 2000. The welfare backlog is increasing, with an additional 2000 people going on welfare each year. Poverty affects 62% of the Province's population and in general, the quality of life, particularly in the rural areas, is poor. The average Human Development Index score for the Province was 0,615 in 1996, fourth lowest in the country.

Chapter 4 presents the economic characteristics of the North West Province. The economy of the Province is relatively small, with a 4.9% contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The main contribution to the economy has been from the mining (predominantly gold and platinum) and agricultural sectors, although this is slowly changing. The Province experienced a decline in economic growth of 0.6 % between 1991 and 1996, primarily due to a decline in the mining sector (except platinum). The decline in the mining sector is gradually being balanced by the growth of other sectors such as manufacturing and tourism, resulting in a more diversified economy, with a resultant economic growth of 2% in 2000. There are several initiatives aimed at improving the economic situation in the North West Province, mostly aimed at reducing the unemployment rates through sustainable employment creation opportunities. The most promising future economic opportunity is the Spatial Development Initiative surrounding the Platinum Highway through the province.

Chapter 5 describes the policy and legislative environment that underpins environmental management in South Africa, and its implications for the North West Province. Since 1994, the environmental policy and legislation in the country has changed significantly, with environmental management becoming a national and provincial competency. Central government is largely responsible for developing national environmental management policies and legislation (with inputs from provinces). The provinces are co-responsible for implementing such policies together with central and local government. The strategic functions, responsibilities and accountability of the provincial government are prescribed in the various legal provisions from the Constitution down to the most detailed regulations and guidelines from all three spheres of government. Provinces are also concerned with, and adhere to, international conventions such as CITES.

Key national legislation, which impacts on environmental management in the Province includes the: Although the environment is a functional area of concurrent national and provincial legislative competence, the North West Provincial Government has not fully realised its Constitutional powers in this respect. It has yet to promulgate its own post-1994 provincial environmental ordinances to give substance to province-specific policies. Currently the Province is not effectively equipped to deal with its responsibilities efficiently and to deliver the variety of services required of it due to:

Part 3: Pressures on the Environment of the North West Province

The main pressures on the environment of the North West Province are settlement and land use patterns, and development in terms of industrial and other economic activities. Information on the status of each activity and possible impacts on the environment is provided in chapters six and seven.

Chapter 6 provides an overview of settlement and land use patterns in the North West Province. The predominant land uses in the Province include agriculture, mining, conservation, industry, commerce, recreation, and human settlement (residential).

Settlement patterns are influenced by historical factors such as the availability of land for farming or grazing, mineral resources, proximity to water and its resources, safety from potential enemy attack, ethnic or group homogeneity and past political policies. While 65,1% of people in the Province currently live in rural areas, abject poverty and unemployment in these areas have resulted in the migration of rural males into most cities in search of employment opportunities. Almost 23% of the total population live in formal urban areas, while the remainder of the urban population live in informal urban and peri-urban areas. This has resulted in increasing population pressures on urban centres, particularly in the eastern region. Most of the rural communities are found in the Bophirima District followed by the Central, Bojanala Platinum and Southern Districts. Generally the rural settlements, informal settlements and traditional villages have few basic services.

Development and land use patterns are closely linked to settlement patterns, and tend to be influenced by similar driving forces and pressures. Despite a change in government priorities, the land use patterns in the Province have not changed significantly since 1994. The predominant land uses in the Province are: agriculture; mining; conservation; industrial; commercial; recreational, and residential. Agriculture is the largest form of land use occurring in the Province, covering 54% of the total surface area. Grazing occupies approximately 26%, crop farming 18% and mixed farming 10% of the total land use in the Province. Commercial, industrial, and residential land uses, and the development of infrastructure are estimated to comprise about 15% of the total land use. Formal conservation areas currently cover 2,44 % of the Province's surface area. Mining is also a significant land use in the Province, occurring mainly in the Rustenburg and Southern Districts. Impacts of these land uses include: degradation of soil, vegetation and water resources; air, water and soil pollution from agricultural runoff, mine drainage, industrial emissions and domestic wastes; over-utilisation of natural resources such as water, soil and vegetation; overcrowding in urban areas, leading to the spread of communicable diseases and epidemics.

Chapter 7 provides an overview of all the major industrial and economic activities in the Province, including agriculture, mining, industry, manufacturing, wholesale and retail distribution, tourism and leisure, infrastructure and energy.

Agriculture in the North West comprises total field crops occupying about 2,06 million ha; horticultural crops about 67 879 ha; grazing land about 2,97 million ha, and mixed farming, about 1,2 million ha. The agricultural activities in the eastern, wetter parts of the Province are mainly livestock and cropping, while extensive livestock and wildlife farming occurs in the drier western parts. There are three major irrigation schemes on the Crocodile, Vaal and Harts Rivers. The Vaal-Harts irrigation scheme covers a total area of about 43 700 ha with wheat, maize and groundnut taking 36%, 23% and 22% respectively of the total irrigated fields. The North West Province has a dualistic agricultural economy, which comprise of a well-developed commercial sector and a predominantly subsistence sector in the former Bophuthatswana homeland areas. Of the total area of farmland in North West Province, 33% lies in the former homelands (developing agriculture) with 67% used for commercial agricultural enterprises. In the former homelands, 29% of the land is arable while 71% is used as grazing land, with these figures in commercial agriculture being 35% arable and 65% grazing land respectively. Excluding the former homelands, there are approximately 7 600 commercial farming units in the North West Province. The number of small-scale farmers in the former homelands amounts to approximately 147 000. The main objective of subsistence farming is to provide for household consumption, and it includes smaller and medium-scale agriculture, based upon diversified production and communal farming. Impacts of agriculture on natural ecosystems include: soil and land degradation; habitat transformation; bush encroachment; soil pollution and water abstraction and pollution.

Mining is one of the key economic sectors of the North West Province. The Province produces 70% of the world's platinum from the platinum mines in the Rustenburg region and about 25% of South Africa's gold. Other minerals mined in the Province include uranium, diamonds, chrome, manganese, vanadium, nickel, silver, gabbro, dolerite, granite, norite, shale, slate, banded-ironstone, crocodolite, travertine, limestone, dolomite, salt, wonderstone, fluorspar, andalusite and clay and sand. Mining, is an important market for domestic suppliers, and is a raw material source for local mineral-based industries, e.g. cement and steel. The mining industry in the Province has economic, social and environmental impacts. Mining has positive socio-economic impacts in the form of job creation, economic growth and infrastructure development. However, negative impacts include: the destruction of family life by the migrant labour system and hostel complexes; the establishment of brothels; informal settlements associated with the establishment of mining infrastructure; high crime levels, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. Environmental impacts include land degradation; air, water and soil pollution, and unsustainable resource use.

The total economic production (in terms of GGP) in the manufacturing sector increased from 2.7 billion to 3.5 billion Rand between 1990 and 1999. 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 in the Province. Brits, Lichtenburg and Rustenburg are the major contributors to manufacturing production in the North West Province, contributing between them more than 50% of total manufacturing production in the Province. Industry and manufacturing contribute to urbanisation of the population and to the expansion of urban areas. They also generate large amounts of waste products and contribute to pollution in the Province.

The retail and wholesale sector in North West Province has increased in importance since 1990, growing to an output of R 4,7 billion in 1999 (5% growth per annum). The contribution of the wholesale and retail sector to the provincial economy was 11.2% in 1999 period. Wholesale and retail activities played a particularly important role in the economic production of the Temba and Mankwe Districts, contributing nearly 22% and 35% respectively to each district's economic production in 1999. Rustenburg and Klerksdorp districts dominate as far as the contribution to overall production in this sector is concerned, representing 21.6% and 14.7% of total economic production respectively. Primary impacts on the environment occur as a result of construction activities (e.g. removal of vegetation; deterioration of the aesthetic value of the landscape; and pollution of air and water). Secondary impacts occur as a result of consumption by communities (e.g. waste production, litter, water and air pollution in the form of dust and vehicle emissions and sewage). Positive socio-economic impacts include: job creation; social upliftment; skills provision; increased GGP, and provision of infrastructure.

The North West Province has a relatively well-developed network of infrastructure, including the road and rail network, air transport, post and telecommunication, electricity and bulk water supply. The major issues of concern in the North West Province are: types and levels of infrastructure delivery (mainly transport and roads, telecommunication, bulk water supply, service provision and housing); inadequate provision of infrastructure in certain areas; over- or under-utilisation of infrastructure; degradation of existing infrastructure; maintenance of infrastructure; lack of institutional co-ordination of infrastructure facilities; affordability of infrastructure provision; and sustainability of infrastructure facilities provision. In virtually every sector the North West Province has inherited considerable backlogs in meeting basic infrastructure delivery standards. Impacts on the environment vary with the type of infrastructure development, but include: water and air pollution, soil and land degradation, altering river flow processes; changing the aesthetic nature of the environment; flooding and displacement of people, and increased population density in urban areas.

The production of energy is one of the fundamental activities that is required for the upliftment of previously disadvantaged communities; the alleviation of poverty, and providing access to basic necessities. The main sources of energy used in the North West Province, for cooking, heating and lighting are heating gas, coal and electricity. Approximately 5% of households use gas for cooking purposes in the Province. Due to large coal deposits in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, which are exploited at low cost, South Africa derived about 74% of its primary energy requirements from coal in 1998 (of which 27% is consumed domestically for heating and cooking). In 1998, the Province was rated as the third largest consumer of electricity (15%) in South Africa. Its total electricity consumption has been steadily increasing between 1994 and 1998 to a total of 27 920 Gwh (GigaWatt hours). The availability of electricity for lighting to African households in the Province is substantially below the national average. The majority of households in non-urban areas use wood and paraffin, as an alternative to electricity, for cooking purposes, and candles for lighting. However, use of these energy sources (especially wood and coal burning) leads to indoor air quality deterioration, causing respiratory diseases. The collection of fuel-wood in rural areas can lead to localised deforestation and changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

The tourism potential in the North West Province is high, with the Province categorised as one of South Africa's most visited provinces. Both foreign and local tourists visit the North West Province, with international tourism generating R1,4 billion in 1999. Preferred tourist destinations include: the Sun City/Pilanesberg complex, Magaliesburg, and Hartebeespoort. Recommended new nodes include: Borakalalo Game Reserve, Vredefort Dome, Vaalkop Dam, and the Ganyesa /Kalahari area. Positive impacts include of tourism include: social improvement; financial benefits; employment opportunities; investment and development; tax generation, and prestige for the Province. Negative impacts include: deterioration of the local culture; economic leakage; increased resource use (e.g. water); land degradation and increased waste generation and pollution.

Part 4: Key Environmental Issues in the North West Province

The key environmental issues in the Province include: air quality; land transformation and soil quality; freshwater resources; biodiversity and conservation; natural and cultural heritage resources, and human health and well-being. They are reported on using the DPSIR framework (see Chapter 1).

Chapter 8 discusses the state of air quality within the Province. The driving forces for air quality include: economic activity, urbanisation and population growth and the political climate. Concomitant pressures include: energy demand and reliance on fossil fuels; habitat change; demand for resources; increasing densification of urban areas; past and present policies and legislation (national and provincial); international political climate; international agreements; political will, and public awareness and attitudes.

Generally, little is known about the state of air quality in the North West Province, but ambient air quality is not considered to be a major problem in most areas.

However, air quality in some urban and industrialised areas such as Rustenburg, Brits and Potchefstroom shows deterioration. Sources of air pollutants are: Impacts of air pollution include: Through international obligations (such as the Montreal Protocol and UNFCCC) and national legislation (APPA), industries with significant emissions of atmospheric pollutants are committed to reduce and manage their emissions in the long-term. Several air quality monitoring initiatives are currently underway in the North West Province in Rustenburg, Pelindaba, Lichtenburg, Brits and Bethane.

Chapter 9 outlines some of the problems faced in the North West Province in terms of land transformation and soil quality, which includes soil degradation (soil erosion and quality) and veld degradation (vegetation cover, bush encroachment, alien invasive plants and deforestation).

Driving forces for land and soil degradation include: population growth; legislation and policies; land tenure; uneven distribution of wealth, and climate change and natural disturbances. Concomitant pressures on the environment are: In general, the North West Province is showing signs of increased land and soil degradation. In terms of soil degradation, a comparison between commercial districts and communal districts, shows that the average degree of soil degradation in commercial districts is at least 30% lower than in communal districts. Soil erosion is mostly as a result of water erosion in the Province. The loss of top soil and the pollution of the soil by mining and agriculture are the main causes of soil degradation.

The severity of veld degradation of the North West Province is the third highest of all the provinces in South Africa, and the increase of the rate of degradation is a concern in the Province. Veld degradation in the communal districts of the Province exceeds the veld degradation in the commercial districts. Loss of vegetation cover and species compositional changes is perceived as the most important aspects of veld degradation in the higher rainfall, grassland-dominated central and eastern parts of the North West Province. Bush encroachment remains a serious problem in the North West Province, with communal and commercial district showing similar bush encroachment patterns. The Province appears to be relatively lightly invaded by alien species (approximately 400 000 ha amounting to 3,5% of the total surface area) as compared to the rest of South Africa, although the extent of alien plant invasion in the arid western parts has not been thoroughly mapped. Deforestation seems to be less of a problem in the Province that elsewhere in South Africa, mainly because there is currently an annual surplus of fuel wood of approximately 500 000 tons. However, localised deforestation leading to fuelwood being less abundant in the vicinity of some rural settlements has been reported.

Impacts of land transformation and soil degradation include: Due to the seriousness of the land degradation and desertification problem, many interventions have been attempted. Both international policy and national legislation support these initiatives. They include: the Stock Reduction Scheme (1969-1978); the National Grazing Strategy (1985); drought assistance schemes; the South African LandCare Initiative (1998-); bush eradication subsidy schemes (1970s); the Bush Control Educational Programme in Previously Disadvantaged Communities and Neighbouring Commercial Farming Areas (1996-2000); biological control programmes for alien plants; the Working for Water programme (1995-), and the Biomass Initiative (1992-). These have all been implemented in the Province with mixed results.

Chapter 10 provides information on the surface- and groundwater resources of the North West Province. Water is considered to be the key limiting factor to development in South Africa. Water resources in the Province comprise rivers, reservoirs, wetlands and groundwater. Of the six major catchments in South Africa, the Limpopo, Orange and the Vaal partly fall within the boundaries of the Province. The main rivers are the Crocodile, Elands and Hex, Marico, Molopo, Mooi, Vaal and Harts rivers. The mean annual runoff (MAR as a percentage of the precipitation) for the North West Province is 6%, substantially lower than the average of 9% for southern Africa. There are 28 large impoundments within the North West Province, which are used for domestic supply, industry, agriculture and recreation.

The North West Province is considered to have substantial groundwater reserves, located in a number of different types of aquifers. These include dolomitic (karstic) aquifers, intergranular aquifers and fractured aquifers. Most of the Province's groundwater systems have a long residence times and slow recharge rates making them highly sensitive to pollution and over-abstraction, particularly in the dolomitic areas. Groundwater quality is relatively good in most parts of the Province, with more than 60% of samples found to be within drinking water quality limits. In the North West Province water resources are scarce, particularly in the semi-arid western portion of the Province, and in some cases even basic needs (sanitation and water for cooking and drinking) are not being met. As a result, the North West Province relies on heavily on ground water resources to meet its needs.

The driving forces in the water environment include increasing population, urbanisation, industrial development and climate. Pressures include: Impacts on water resources include: Water resource management in the North West Province is determined largely by the National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998). Other policy and legislation that influences water resource management in the Province are: Both positive and negative outcomes can be expected from these, but because the legislation is fairly recent, the outcomes are uncertain.

Chapter 11 provides an overview of biodiversity and conservation issues in the North West Province. The North West Province has a wealth of biodiversity, ecosystem and habitat diversity, both in the terrestrial and aquatic environments. This is largely due to the diverse nature of the Province's landscape and climate. However, like much of South Africa, the North West Province falls within what is described by the United Nations as "affected drylands", which are perceived to be ecologically sensitive as they are more vulnerable to major ecological perturbations. Although it has been documented that the Province has several endemic species (many of which are rare or threatened; see Appendices 11.1-11.9), comprehensive information on biodiversity (particularly invertebrates), ecosystems and sensitive habitats on a provincial scale is lacking.

The natural driving forces affecting biodiversity are evolutionary processes, extinction rates, population dynamics, ecological interactions, habitat diversity and quality, and climate change. Natural disturbances such as floods, droughts, fires and outbreaks of diseases have also had major effect on ecosystems and constituent biodiversity and habitat quality. Anthropogenic driving forces include: human population increases and rising standards of living; international and local demand for rare and endangered wild plants and animals; increasing population mobility between provinces and past policy and legislation.

Biodiversity conservation relies largely on formally and informally protected areas. According to the North West Province Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB), the total size of formally protected areas is 283 308 ha. This amounts to approximately 2,44 % of the Province, which falls well below the 10% of each vegetation type suggested by the Rio Convention to be set aside for officially protected areas. In addition there are ten proclaimed 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 Cape buffalo, warthog, gemsbok, eland and red hartebeest and blue wildebeest and even black rhinoceros also occur in the Province.

One of the recognised aspects in the conservation of biodiversity in the Province is the regulation of trade in biological resources. This ranges from live game and game products (such as biltong and hides) to indigenous medicinal plants (e.g. devil's claw Harpagophytum procumbens) and honey. 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. 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. The trade in biodiversity and biodiversity products it is difficult to quantify on a provincial scale. This is largely due to the multi-faceted nature of the industry, being both commercial and subsistence based.

Fishing and fishery resources in the North West Province largely occur in impoundments as the Province has several large dams that are well stocked with fish. Fishing in these dams is mostly by recreational 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. Harvesting of commercial fishery resources has been largely out of reach of rural communities, due to social, economic and political factors. However, with the new political dispensation in South Africa and the decentralisation of authority, local communities have been given far greater control over, and access to, resources within their areas. Some communities have already started initiatives to operate unregulated small-scale fisheries, such as at Setumo Dam. Major impacts on fisheries resources include overexploitation and the introduction of alien species that compete with indigenous fish.

International legislation and policy related to biodiversity conservation include: National and provincial policy on the conservation and protection of the national biological diversity are embodied in the following: Management and institutional responses such as programmes that promote the conservation and protection of habitat integrity and biodiversity include: Chapter 12 outlines the rich cultural and natural heritage resources of the North West Province. Driving forces that place pressure on these resources include: population growth and development; tourism development; policy and legislation, and recreational demand. In particular, rapid industrialisation and expansion of mining activities place pressure on heritage resources. Other pressures include: deterioration of sites and landscapes as a result of neglect or ignorance; unsustainable utilisation of natural resources by poor communities; short-term, wealth-generating activities; industrial development, industrialisation of rural communities, and the continued expansion of agricultural activities.

Stone Age and Iron Age sites are well represented in the Province, 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 often-tumultuous past is also represented in the Province, including battlefields from the South African War such as the Battles of Silkaatsnek and Kraaipan. Numerous forts, graves and blockhouses from this period, can be found throughout the Province. The condition of the known cultural heritage sites found within North West Province is fairly good, however it is believed that a large portion of the cultural heritage resources of the Province remain unknown.

Some of the important natural heritage sites within the North West Province are situated within the national parks and nature reserves. 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 are to some extent well underway in the existing twelve parks and reserves in the Province. The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and its associated tourism development is also partly located in the North West Province. The Taung Heritage site, where the early hominid skull of the "Taung Child" was discovered in 1924, is the Province's most significant natural heritage site and is being proposed as a world heritage site.

Impacts on natural and cultural heritage resources include: Several responses to the need to protect the North West Province's cultural heritage have emerged. The National Heritage Resources Act (Act No. 25 of 1999); the Provincial Heritage Resources Bill and National Heritage Council Act (Act No. 11 of 1999) and NEMA all make legislative provision for the conservation of heritage resources. Several known sites, especially those in nature reserves and those that serve as tourist attractions, have been well-researched and are well-managed. The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) is tasked with the management of heritage resources in the country. The SAHRA has a branch in the North West Province and are increasingly involved in the awareness campaigns aimed at both government and non-governmental bodies and institutions. Museums play a role in the gathering and management of information and artefacts of both natural and cultural heritage resources. However, the implementation of heritage resources management plans at provincial level is low, because a shortage of personnel, expertise and finances is currently being experienced.

Chapter 13 discusses human health and well-being in terms of housing, nutrition and food security, waste management, water supply and sanitation, toxicity in the environment and radiation and radioactivity in the environment.

The main driving force for housing in the North West Province is population growth. The Province has a historical housing backlog (146 000 in 2000), which exerts pressure on the housing stock in relation to what is currently being provided. This is exacerbated by the legacy of poverty and inequality from the Apartheid era. Approximately 30% of households in the North West Province live in substandard dwellings. Due to the high rate of unemployment and poverty in most parts of rural areas in the Province, high percentages of rural populations are accommodated in poorly-serviced, informal houses and settlements. Informal settlements have a major negative impact on the environment, because these settlements are largely unplanned and often situated on marginal land. Since its inception in 1994, the National Housing Subsidy Programme has provided housing and obtains secure tenure and access to improved sanitation and water to people who would have been relegated to informal settlements. Through its implementation, the housing subsidy programme has also created an enabling environment conducive for the creation of much-needed jobs. It has made a significant contribution to sustainable development in social and economic terms. It has, however, contributed to urban sprawl, the inefficient use of energy and the loss of topsoil.

Nutrition and food security are key aspects of the well-being of a society. These aspects are directly linked to the society's quality of life, which is determined by the complex inter-relationships of social, economic, political and other processes. Poverty and unemployment are two primary factors that contribute towards sub-standard living conditions and lack of food security in the North West Province. The pressures related to food insecurity and malnutrition include inequitable access to land and resources, living on marginal and degraded land, a poor welfare system and the break-down of traditional family units. This leads to a reduced quality of life, high mortality rates especially with infants and reduced life expectancy. It is estimated that in the rural areas of South Africa, one in three children display marginal vitamin A status, 20% are anaemic and 10% are iron-deficient. Several initiatives have been undertaken by the national Government to attempt to minimise the impact of food insecurity among the poor on a national scale with provincial participation. One of the most important in the Province is the Primary Schools Nutrition Programme. However, its implementation has not been altogether successful, because of failure of food to reach many schools; food storage problems; leakage of food; and the biological energy requirement not being met. The North West DACE has also been engaged in the sectoral development of communities and rural development with process in place for women development projects, food plots/vegetable projects, youth development projects, and poverty alleviation through food production.

The driving forces that influence waste production and management in the North West Province include population growth, urbanisation, the culture of consumerism and previous government policies and legislation. Previously, waste management was done on an ad hoc basis in South Africa to meet immediate needs. Prior to the development of the Minimum Requirements by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry the siting of landfills was generally haphazard, without adequate planning and design. The management and operation of landfills was, and still is in some cases, poor, and the control of waste types disposed at the landfills inadequate. Major waste generators in the Province include municipalities, informal settlements, industries, hospitals, agriculture and mines. There are currently 63 operating landfills in the North West Province, all of which may only accept general waste, although some accept a small amount of hazardous waste. It is estimated that no region of the North West Province has more than 3,5 years of existing acceptable landfill airspace, while the Bophirima and Bojanala Platinum Districts have no existing acceptable airspace. Impacts of unsatisfactory waste management include: environmental pollution and degradation; human health impacts (such as diarrhoea-related diseases); increased mortality rates; lost economic productivity; reduced educational potential; increases health costs and decreased quality of life. The National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998), NEMA, the Draft White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management and Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfill, determine the requirements for waste management in the Province. The National Waste Management Strategy is currently at the implementation stage, and is anticipated to have a positive outcome on pollution control and waste management in the Province in the long-term.

The primary driving forces for water supply and sanitation in the North West Province are: poverty; population growth; past policies and legislation; lack of institutional capacity, and lack of integrated planning. The North West Province, when compared to most other provinces in the country, is relatively sufficient in terms of water supply and sanitation. However, many rural settlements, informal settlements and traditional villages have little or no basic services (water, sewerage, communications, electricity) compared to the large towns. The current situation is one of inequality in terms of access to potable water in the Province. Almost all White households (more than 99%) have the use of running tap water in their dwellings as opposed to 27% of African households. Inadequate sanitation facilities can cause the pollution of rivers and groundwater. Lack of access to proper sanitation forces people to resort to alternative means, which may have an even greater impact on their health and the environment. Lack of sanitation and water supply facilities also increases the cost of living, decreases their potential to earn a living because of health problems and decreased standard of living.

The main response to this problem was through the National Government's Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), which aimed at providing every person with adequate facilities for health, which includes the establishing of a national water and sanitation programme. The national water and sanitation programme was aimed at providing all households with clean, safe water supply of 20-30 litres per capita per day, an adequate sanitation facility per site and a refuse removal system to all urban households. An awareness programme in the Province, sponsored by Danida, has assisted in sanitation education at ground level. Improvement of sanitation and water supply in the Province has been hampered by inadequate resources.

There is a paucity of information on the extent and concentration of toxic substances in the environment of the North West Province, and their impact on human health and well-being. However, the following are some of the potential sources of toxicity in the Province: The negative impacts of toxicity range from respiratory diseases in human beings through to the depletion of the ozone layer. Chemicals that have been proven to be harmful (e.g. benzene, lead and other heavy metals, carbon monoxide, volatile nitrites, pesticides and herbicides, persistent organic pollutants) enter the human bloodstream through the nose, mouth, skin, and the digestive tract. These substances can have harmful effects on the central nervous system, immune system, blood, bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes.
Some of the laws that have been passed to deal with toxins in South Africa include, among others: Radiation and radioactivity are recognised as threats to human well-being in the North West Province. Radioactive compounds in the environment that are of importance in the Province are Uranium-238, Thorium-230, Radium-226 and Radon-222. The greatest technologically-enhanced source of radioactivity in the environment is directly as a result of gold and uranium mining. Uranium deposits are found in the south-east of the Province predominantly in the Orkney, Stilfontein, Klerksdorp area and around Potchefstroom. Impacts from radioactivity include: atmospheric impacts (radionuclide-contaminated dust); terrestrial environmental impacts (e.g. soil contamination, aquatic sediment contamination and bioaccumulation of radionuclides in ecosystems) and human health impacts (genetic mutations, radiation sickness and mental retardation at high levels). There is a growing body of evidence pointing that both the long- and short-term effects of radioactive substances present in the environment may be impacting on the health of the population of the Province, particularly in the gold mining areas. The Nuclear Energy Act (Act No. 131 of 1993), the new Nuclear Energy Act (Act No. 46 of 1999) and Nuclear Regulator Act (Act No 47 of 1999), provide the legislative framework for nuclear safety. Radioactivity monitoring programmes in the North West Province include the Mooi River Radioactivity Monitoring Programme and the environmental monitoring programmes by the Nuclear Energy Corporation at Pelindaba.

Part 5: Environmental Management Responses

Chapter 14 provides information on environmental education and capacity building. Environmental education programmes are perceived as being important in the North West Province as the Province is in the process of implementing Curriculum 2005. In the new school system, Environment has been integrated with other learning areas at all levels. Curriculum support for the teachers has been provided through National Environmental Education Project for General Education and Training (NEEP-GET) and North West DACE (Sub-directorate of Environmental Education and Empowerment). 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 strive to pro-actively create a culture of environmental awareness and sustainable development amongst the citizens of the Province.

In terms of environmental capacity building, the Capacity Building Sub-Directorate of the North West DACE has initiated several projects, including: Chapter 15 deals with Integrated Environmental Management (IEM), comprising integrated development and planning frameworks, integrating environmental considerations in decision making and environmental management systems.

Integrated development and planning frameworks invariably influence the environment, development and the quality of life in the North West Province. At provincial level these include: The local sphere of government is required to facilitate several legislative planning and development processes which impact on the environment. The legislative development and planning processes at local level include: The process to facilitate policy implementation and strategic planning at all levels of government is the Integrated Development Plan (IDP). The IDP is a five-year plan (updated, however, on a yearly basis) aimed at integrating the development and management of the area of jurisdiction of the local authority in terms of its powers and duties.

Integrating environmental considerations in decision-making is an important component to promote sustainable development and the protection of natural resources. Those discussed in this chapter include Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs).

Major developments in the Province requiring EIA processes include: township developments; telecommunications; resorts; electricity and power lines and petrol stations. Management and administration of EIAs in the Province are undertaken by North West DACE. Challenges experienced by North West DACE regarding the processing of applications in terms of the EIA regulations include: One method of gauging environmental management performance is through environmental management systems. Section 35 of NEMA provides specifically for the establishment of Environmental Management Co-operation Agreements (EMCAs) as a management tool, and prescribes the legal framework within which such agreements must be accomplished. In the North West Province EMCAs can be established between authorities and communities, and should focus specifically on the broadly-defined environmental management principles contained in NEMA. In each case there is a need for: The Minerals Act (Act No. 50 of 1991) has introduced both an integrated environmental management system and the process of controlled self-regulation in the form of Environmental Management Programme Reports. The provincial government has a delegated function (in terms of the Environment Conservation Act) to review every EMPR in the Province. EMPRs reflect a contractual administrative agreement, within the context of controlled self-regulation, between the authorities and a private enterprise. At the same time this type of contractual agreement should not be equated to a purely private law contract, but should rather be seen as an administrative agreement where the authorities stand in a position of governmental power.

In order to ensure that best environmental practice is maintained in the Province, it is important for the environmental authorities to ensure that legislative requirements are enforced and monitored. Although the national policy and legislation are adequate, they are often fragmented and difficult to apply or enforce at a local level. In particular, the provincial and lower level capacity required to implement the legislation is considered to be inadequate and roles and responsibilities are not always a clear, often causing long delays in decision-making.

Chapter 16 deals with environmental monitoring, auditing and rehabilitation. 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: Compliance monitoring, auditing and enforcement is vital for the effective maintenance of environmental standards, respective licensing and permit systems which are required by legislation to ensure that development takes place sustainably in the North West Province. However, many mining activities, heavy industry, township developments and some agricultural activities in the North West Province are not being adequately regulated at present, while poor environmental standards among many medium- and small-scale industries prevail. The following is a summary of non-compliance to legislation that has been reported from the North West Province in 2000: Non-compliance to environmental management plans and legislation is often due to a lack of awareness and financial resources. Enforcement of compliance is limited due to resource limitations within the North West Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (DACE), Department of Minerals and Energy and Dept. of Water Affairs and Forestry. In order to monitor compliance with EIA regulations, enhanced resource capacity (human and financial) is required.

The rehabilitation of the environment during and after activities such as mining, construction, agricultural development and waste disposal is required by legislation. Rehabilitation includes the development of management strategies to restore and maintain physical, chemical and biological ecosystem processes in degraded environments.

The Minerals Act (Act No. 50 of 1991) requires rehabilitation plans are included in all EMPRs and are approved by the authorities before any mining activity can start. Rehabilitation methods include the vegetation of mine dumps to blend in with existing vegetation, the reduction of stormwater run-off and prevention of water pollution, and the backfilling of excavations, for example by making use of waste material during the mining process. During 1998, 493 Environmental Management Programmes (EMPs) were approved in the Province.

Rehabilitation of landfills is usually in the form of revegetation or the development of a park and should be undertaken by the permit holder (e.g. the municipality or a private company). Little information is available on landfill rehabilitation in the Province and, according to the information that is available, only limited rehabilitation has been achieved. Currently landfill permitting in the Province is handled by DWAF without any input from North West DACE.

To address the issue of the rehabilitation of degraded agricultural land, the South African LandCare Initiative was launched in 1998. Based on the ideal of sustainable agricultural resource utilisation to establish a conservation ethic, it includes natural resource, sociological, political and economic dimensions. 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.

The North West Province has several important wetlands, some of which have been degraded or invaded by alien vegetation. Under the auspices of the DWAF, the Working for Water Programme has been active in the Province since 1996. Rehabilitation includes the removal alien invasive plants surrounding the wetland and the planting of indigenous trees. Physical rehabilitation includes removal of debris and litter, reflooding where wetlands have been drained and building of dykes and gabions to retain water in the wetland area. Wetlands currently being rehabilitated in the North West include the Molopo Eye, Malmane Eye, Boitekong wetland and Boekenhout wetland.

Chapter 17 deals with environmental information management and reporting, which comprises environmental decision support and information management systems and environmental reporting. The North West Province DACE's environmental information is currently being warehoused under one electronically-accessible system. It consists of a repository of environmental information together with software for spatial representation and modelling. This is the basis of the Environmental Decision Support System for NWDACE. All information generated or obtained by the North West DACE will ultimately become part of the decision support process, thereby continually refining and expanding the scope of the Decision Support and Information Management System. Several environmental information systems are currently under consideration. These include the provincial Environmental Information Management System (EIMS); and Think Tools. Environmental information can be represented spatially using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS); the DEAT Environmental Potential Atlas (ENPAT) and Environmental Management Frameworks (EMFs) developed at provincial level. Spatio-temporal environmental modelling tools include: Hydrological Simulation Programming - Fortran (HSPF) and the Integrated Catchment Information System (ICIS).

Environmental reporting is intended to provide stakeholders or a target audience with environmental information on the current state of the environment, environmental management performance or particular environmental incidents. There are a variety of different types of environmental reports. Internal reports focus mainly on evaluating the outputs in relation to the strategic objectives and are required mainly for management purposes of an organisation. External reports are important for reporting to authorities that have an environmental responsibility, investors, environmental groups and the general public for information on the environmental performance of institutions.

The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) of 1998 requires that different spheres of government (particularly national DEAT and provincial environmental authorities) and state controlled agencies provide a number of reports concerned with environment and sustainable development. These include: Internet-based SoE reporting is also an efficient and cost-effective tool for the dissemination of environmental information to the global audience. In electronic format, SoE reports can be regularly updated, as new information becomes available. Hypertext electronic links can be established with other pertinent reports, databases or websites. Local or provincial SoE reports can be accessed along with national or international initiatives through such website links.

Part 6: Environmental Management Recommendations

Chapter 18 is the only section in this part, and presents the overall conclusions and recommendations for environmental management in the Province. The following recommendations were made:

Chapter 2: Biophysical Environment Chapter 3: Social Environment Chapter 4: Economic Environment Chapter 5: Policy and Legislative Environment

There is a need to: Chapter 6: Settlement and Land Use Patterns

6.1 Settlement patterns 6.2 Development and land use patterns Chapter 7: Major Industrial and Economic Activities

7.1. Agriculture 7.2 Mining 7.3 Industry and manufacturing 7.4 Wholesale and retail distribution 7.5 Infrastructure 7.6 Energy 7.7 Tourism and leisure Chapter 8: Air Quality Chapter 9: Land Transformation and Soil Quality 9.1 Land degradation and desertification 9.2 Soil erosion and quality 9.3 Veld degradation Chapter 10: Water Resources 10.1 Surface water 10.2 Groundwater Chapter 11: Biodiversity and Conservation

11.1 Biological, ecosystem and habitat diversity 11.2 Formally protected conservation areas 11.3 Informally protected conservation areas 11.4 Trade in biological resources 11.5 Fishing and fishery resources Chapter 12: Heritage Resources

12.1 Cultural heritage resources 12.2 Natural heritage resources Chapter 13: Human Health and Well-being

13.1 Housing 13.2 Nutrition and food security 13.3 Waste management 13.4 Water supply and sanitation 13.5 Toxicity in the environment 13.6 Radiation and radioactivity in the environment Chapter 14: Environmental Education and Capacity Building

14.1 Environmental empowerment, education and awareness 14.2 Environmental capacity building initiatives Chapter 15 Integrated Environmental Management

15.1 Integrated development and planning frameworks 15.2 Integrating environmental considerations in decision-making 15.3 Environmental management systems Chapter 16: Environmental Monitoring, Auditing and Rehabilitation 16.1 Ambient environmental monitoring 16.2 Compliance monitoring, auditing and enforcement 16.3 Environmental rehabilitation measures Chapter 17: Environmental Information Management and Reporting

17.1 Environmental decision support and information management systems 17.2 Environmental reporting The prioritisation of environmental issues and recommendations will require the formulation of an appropriate environmental management plans for practical implementation as well as strategies to remedy or address these concerns. Such management plans should be consistent with national environmental legislation and Agenda 21 principles as well as the North West Province EIP and local municipal IDP's. These environmental plans and strategies should be realistic, taking cognisance of current budget constraints and available human resource capacity for effective implementation.

In the spirit of co-operative governance, it is envisaged that the successful implementation of such environmental management plans and strategies will require that a wide range of stakeholders within the entire provincial community and from all sectors (business, civil society and government) work together in a mutually beneficial and cooperative manner.



Editor's Note   |   Contents   |   North West at a Glance