Chapter 7: MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

Authors: Dries Visser(1) (Late) , Christian Marfo(2) , Andrew Mclaren(3) ,
Maliba Ramatlape(4) and Audrey Chadi(4)

1.Bohlweki Environmental (Pty) Ltd., Midrand, Johannesburg
2.Tikoloko Agricultural and Environmental Consultants, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
3.Aquaplus Consultants, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg
4.North West Province Dept. Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Mafikeng


CONTENTS
  1. Agriculture
  2. Mining
  3. Industry and Manufacturing
  4. Wholesale and Retail Distribution
  5. Infrastructure
  6. Energy
  7. Tourism and Leisure
    8.
References

Maps:

Main land uses in the North West Province (Map 21)
Land ownership in the North West Province (Map 22)
Broad soil potential for agriculture in the North West Province (Map 23)
Mining in the North West Province (Map 24)
Road and rail network in the North West Province (Map 25)
Tourism nodes and corridors in the North West Province (Map 26)

7.1 Agriculture

7.1.1 Introduction

Second only to mining, agriculture is the most important economic activity in the North West Province. Over the years, the government has given agricultural development a high priority, as its role is critically important to the overall social and economic development of the Province (Worth 1987). The average annual rainfall in the Province varies between 700 mm in the east to less than 300 mm in the west. The vegetation type changes accordingly from temperate grasslands in the east to arid bush and shrub veld in the west. This east-west variation in rainfall and vegetation types governs the type of agricultural activity. The primary agricultural practices in the North West Province consist of mixed crop and livestock farming in the east (with different degrees of intensity), with a progression to almost exclusively livestock farming towards the west (Map 21). Multi-cropping offers different levels of livelihood sustainability and, at the same time, protects the land against degradation. Due to the low rainfall, commercial forestry is absent in the North West Province. However, woodlots do occur, largely in the tribal areas. These woodlots are a very important source of renewable energy for cooking and heating. Mostly fast growing wood types are used, such as bluegums (Eucalyptus spp.), which are alien species introduced from Australia.

7.1.2 Driving forces

The increase in demand for agricultural produce in South Africa has led to the establishment of large-scale commercial farming, specialising in crop and animal production according to the prevailing natural resource and climatic conditions (Keyter 1990). To meet the demands by the market, both low-cost labour and mechanization were used extensively in the commercial sector. Commercial farming has contributed significantly to the country's economic growth. However, poor management and Apartheid legislation, such as the Native Land Act of 1913, Marketing Act of 1939, Co-operative Society Act of 1937, among others, perpetuated poverty, unemployment and food insecurity in the black communities. The imbalances in provision of basic services and government incentives to the communal and commercial farmers have perpetuated the degradation of the natural resource base in most rural areas. The following factors are perceived as being the major causes of natural resource degradation in South Africa (especially in the communal areas):

7.1.3 Pressures

Because of the abovementioned driving forces, pressure for higher production is placed on agricultural resources (e.g. arable land, grazing and water resources). This exerts pressure on the natural resource base due to the conversion of land from one land-use to another (e.g. agricultural land being used for infrastructure and vice versa). Additionally, when the demand for farm produce becomes high, farmers are forced to utilise marginal areas. The major pressures on communal land are: Most communal grazing areas are overstocked by more than 40 times their carrying capacity, thus adversely affecting cattle farming and related agricultural activities. The overstocking causes the spread of stock diseases, the damaging of fences and watering places, and overgrazing. Overstocking also causes land degradation and increased water consumption. The extent of deforestation in the North West Province is low, and the Province has a surplus of harvested wood (+485 625 Ton/yr; Hoffman et al. 1999), although local shortages in this Province undoubtedly also occur. Any shortages are a consequence of human and animal population growth, leading to expanded needs for housing, crops, grazing, fuel-wood collection and the collection of many other forest products. The high level of poverty plays a major role in this regard, because the poor are more dependent on firewood for domestic fuel, and on subsistence agriculture for food. With an increasing demand, in marginal cases, they may be forced to utilise marginal and ecologically fragile lands, which will eventually result in the rapid depletion of the resources and the degradation of the land.

The ownership of agricultural land in the Province consists of well-serviced commercial farming areas in the previously white regions, and black farmers largely located within the former Bophuthatswana areas, which are generally dry and less developed in terms of road networks, telephonic communications, and other infrastructure (Map 22). This situation was created by the Apartheid policies, by subsidising white commercial farming in the former South Africa, whilst black emerging farmers were perceived to be non-productive and a non-commercially-viable investment. This perception severely restricted the access of black farmers to financing for development projects. Despite the former Bophuthatswana government's involvement in the most up-to-date farming methods and equipment, the quality of life in the Black farming areas deteriorated (Worth 1987). This had a negative impact on the local economic development of lower income groups.

The Apartheid policies robbed the majority of the black population of their land through the use of legislation. In the former Bophuthatswana, areas such as Taung are evidence of the adverse impact overcrowding of people in an unsuitable communal area can have, Faced with desertification, soil erosion, salination, and the pressure of settlement development, the task of achieving improvement in the quality of lives of these people has become almost impossible. Therefore, large numbers of the impoverished population, which rely heavily on agriculture, could experience food shortages in the long term.

7.1.4 State

The gross income from the total commercial agricultural products in North West Province amounted to 7.4% of the total for South Africa in 1996 (Development Information Business Unit, DBSA, 2000). The gross income from grain crops, horticultural products and livestock products from the North West Province amounted to 14.7%, 8% and 7.4% respectively of the total for South Africa. Table 7.1.1 indicates the state of agriculture in South Africa. The Free State has the largest number of farms, followed by Western Cape, with North West Province in third position. However, the efficiency of North West Province commercial farming areas is still low, since its total gross income from agriculture occupies the sixth position of nine provinces.

Table 7.1.1: National agriculture statistics (Source: Statistics South Africa 1996).

NWP NCP NP FS GP MP KZN EC WC Total
No of com-mercial farming units 7512 6730 7273 11272 2342 4675 5037 6338 9759 60938
Total number of workers 98349 58198 121757 118866 39295 101051 115496 63083 198378 914473
Total gross farming Income (R millions) 3038.3 1418.9 3934.5 4302.0 2283.3 3972.8 4490.3 1957.2 7533.6 32931.2
Total farming debt (R millions) 1933.5 1181.6 2197.3 3556.0 725.3 1946.8 2292.5 1438.9 3588.8 18861.0

NWP: North West Province MP: Mpumalanga Province
NCP: Northern Cape Province KZN: Kwazulu Natal Province
NCP: Northern Province EC: Eastern Cape Province
FS: Free State Province WC: Western Cape Province
GP: Gauteng Province


The farming profile in North West Province constitutes the following: 30% farm workers, 63% sub-commercial farmers, 3% new-entrant farmers and 4% commercial farmers. At present, despite the relatively small percentage of commercial farmers, this client group produces in excess of 80% of the agricultural produce in the Province in terms of produce that is traded. Of the total surface area of North West Province, approximately 85% (10 million ha) is classified as agricultural land, with 34% of the agricultural land classified as potentially arable and 66% as grazing land (Table 7.1.2). However, much of North West Province consists of affected drylands (30%), which are characterised by low annual rainfalls and high evaporation rates. These areas are sensitive and highly susceptible to erosion. As a result the irrigation schemes are practiced in both arable land and established pastures.

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. Total field crops occupy 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. Of the total arable land in North West Province, less than 3% is under irrigation. (NDA, 2001). There are three major irrigation schemes located on the Crocodile, Vaal and Harts Rivers respectively. 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.

Table 7.1.2: North West Province agricultural land use and land ownership (Source: DACE, 1999).



Soil potential for cultivation is affected by a number of factors including climate (rainfall, evaporation rates), landscape morphology (hill slope gradients), depth of soils and composition of soils (relative percentages of clay, loam and sand) (Map 23). Soil potential plays a significant role in determining whether the land is arable or not and what types of crops can be grown. North West Province has a dualistic agricultural economy, which comprises a well-developed commercial sector (in the former South Africa areas) and a predominantly subsistence sector in the former Bophuthatswana (Keyter 1990). 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 family labour. 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 (71% grazing land) with the figures in commercial agriculture being 35% arable and 65% grazing land. Excluding the former homelands, there are approximately 7600 commercial farming units in the North West Province. The number of small-scale farmers in the former homelands amounts to approximately 147 000. By far the most farming units have animal production enterprises as their dominant branch of agriculture, followed by units with field crops as the dominant branch. A similar picture is reflected with regard to surface areas involved. Over the last 15 years there has been a slight decrease in both cropping areas in the North West Province. The main reason for this was an increase in settlements that occurred.

Crop production enterprises under dry land conditions in the commercial sector include maize, grain sorghum, sunflower, groundnuts, dry beans and other crops such as tobacco, cut flowers and vegetables, which are cultivated on a smaller scale.
North West Province mainly relies on the Crocodile, Vaal, and Harts rivers for irrigation. Other small irrigation schemes include Manyeding, Bodibe and Tlhaping-Tlharo. Irrigation is limited to certain areas adjoining river systems (Brits, Rustenburg, Taung, Molopo), as well as isolated areas where irrigation from ground water sources is practiced (e.g. Ventersdorp area, Ottosdal area and Vryburg/Louwna area). These areas are used for mixed-crop farming, which includes tobacco, paprika, citrus, wheat, pepper, cotton and sunflowers.

Livestock production is practiced throughout the Province. Cattle (both beef and dairy), sheep, goats and pigs are the primary livestock enterprises (Table 7.1.3). Production takes place through extensive systems as well as feedlots. The western regions of the Province are almost exclusively dependent on extensive livestock production systems due to climatic constraints. The Province also has a large equine population, numbering approximately 15 000 horses and 27 000 donkeys. The latter is used primarily for ploughing in the sub-commercial sector. Poultry farming, on a commercial and sub-commercial scale, is prevalent with the largest number of farms in the Potchefstroom area.

Table 7.1.3: Livestock statistics for the different regions in North West Province (Source: DACE, 1999).



Agricultural activities in North West Province are concentrated in the eastern, wetter part of the Province and are characterised mainly by livestock farming and cropping, with limited forest patches. The main activities in the drier parts consist of extensive livestock- and wildlife farming. Table 7.1.4 indicates some of the common land uses in the Province according to agricultural enterprise type. From this information it can be seen that the largest percentage of land is used for animal grazing. The second highest percentage of land is used to grow summer cereals followed by mixed farming, with the least percentage used to cultivate fodder crops. Mixed crop farming is commonly practiced in the Rustenburg District and Brits where tobacco, paprika, citrus, wheat, pepper, cotton and sunflower are the most notable crops. Other crops such as maize and groundnut are grown in the Bushveld belt.

Table 7.1.4: Land use in the North West Province according to agricultural enterprise type
Source: DACE 1999).


Crop Type Area in hectares
Summer Cereals 1 890 309
Winter Cereals 47 547
Oil Seeds 60 320
Fodder Crops 12 773
Other Field Crops 143 297
Grazing 6 738 014
Mixed Farming 1 206 213
Total 10 098 473

The largest percentage of grazing land and cattle herds is concentrated in the western part of NWP, particularly, Vryburg. In this district, a wide range of livestock farming, which includes cattle, sheep, goats and chicken farming, is practiced. This kind of farming contributes a substantial percentage towards the economic growth of the area. Meat and dairy products are the main products produced, with commercial game ranching also contributing through the supply of meat and hunting trophies.

7.1.5 Impacts

Impacts of agriculture on natural ecosystems include:

7.1.6 Responses

The agricultural sector is faced with the challenges of the broader process of restructuring and rural development, which includes land reform and the development of a new Agricultural Act, ratification of international conventions and agreements, investment in water supply and transport infrastructure, and improved social service delivery. All existing regulations and financial support measures affecting natural resource conservation must be reviewed to establish a regulating and incentive framework that provides non-distortionary support for conservation and discourages practices that threaten the natural resource base. The major task at present is to speed up the process of elimination of the inefficiencies that have characterized commercial farming, such as inequalities and insecurity in landownership. Tenure reform and restitution of land programmes have brought hope to those who lost their land through forced removals.

Faced with the land degradation problems that have emanated from a variety of activities, the promotion of conservation, maintenance and sustainable use of natural resources in agriculture are of top priority. Therefore, the National Department of Agriculture and North West DACE, in co-operation with the stakeholders, are promoting the formation and growth of a community based Land Care Programme (LCP). This programme is based on sustainable agricultural resource utilisation. It includes natural resource, sociological, political and economical dimensions, as the basis for establishing a conservation ethic. The productivity of arable land and rangeland may be achieved through the LCP. To achieve the objectives of the LCP the Stock Reduction Scheme (SRS) was also used. The main objectives of the SRS were to reduce the number of stock on rangeland, withdraw eroded and vulnerable areas from grazing, and institute judicious management practices on remaining rangelands (DACE, 1999). To address the unsustainable use of land and water, South Africa has become involved in the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT), through the National Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Council. The aims are: Other measures to mitigate against soil degradation (e.g. liming of acidified soil, leaching and gypsum treatment of salt-affected and alkaline soils, and reclamation of soils from open-cast mining) are required. People are encouraged to practice crop rotation, planting nitrogen-fixing legumes, and to reduce stock numbers, etc. in order to reverse soil degradation. New policies aimed at creating the opportunity for reforms and enabling agriculture to make a contribution to poverty alleviation, reverse soil degradation and to conserve South Africa's biological diversity, were formulated. An example is the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (Act No. 43 of 1983) that provides for control over the utilization of the natural resources of South Africa in order to promote the conservation of soil, water sources and vegetation and at the same time to combat the spread of weed and invader plants.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, in terms of the Environment Conservation Act, No.73 of 1989, is required before a land-use change can be effected. The involvement of NGOs and sponsorships from the private sector are encouraged, since they can contribute to the process of poverty eradication. In rural areas extension of services have a major role to play in promoting production, encouraging supplies of seeds, tools and production requirements to the new and small-scale black farmers (DEAT 1999). The conversion of marginal arable land to pastureland and adaptation of the grazing capacity can decrease the rate of land degradation and at the same time reduce the loss of habitat and biodiversity. South Africa has ratified the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), which states that the government is obliged to ensure that the national implementation of the Convention is in accordance with the three main objectives of CBD, namely the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of the animal and plant genetic resources, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic material. This will also benefit conservation of biodiversity, land, the country's economy, and water quality and quantity.

7.1.7 Outcomes

Most of the attempts to address the problems facing the agricultural sector in South Africa have been unsuccessful. This can be attributed to some of the legislation never having been applied in previously black areas, and others having had no legal validity in homelands. This legislation caused the transformation of the physical, economic and social environment of Black areas, leaving the people worse off than before. Reluctance of communal farmers to use different techniques is mainly due to poor public awareness of the benefits of using correct methods of agriculture and the need for soil conservation legislation. The absence of affordable technological development, which could maintain or enhance agricultural production despite environmental degradation, affected agricultural sustainability. As a result the loss of biodiversity, and degradation of land and water resources continued in both communal and commercial farming areas.

Although there is no usable information on percentages of those who have benefited from land reform programmes, a significant proportion of the Province's rural population has managed to recover their land. The achievement of the objectives of these programmes, was also made possible by large-scale well-established agriculture, by contributing a certain percentage of their land to their workers, which in turn contributed to social stability and safety in rural areas. This is one of the positive developments, as the land acquired can be used in a variety of ways to maintain a minimum living standard, especially for the impoverished rural population, where a small vegetable garden can make a significant contribution to nutritional standards. The government is willing to provide financial support to create the enabling environment for the development of small scale previously disadvantaged producers in such a way that the overall economic and social development is achieved (NDA, 1998).

7.1.8 Data issues and indicators

Data issues - Most of the former Bophuthatswana areas were incorporated into North West Province, and as a result they still have very limited documented information. Therefore the monitoring of benchmark sites on a regular basis, with reliable data acquisition and storage, is essential to quantify trends and changes taking place in this region. Parameters such as veld condition, erosion and organic carbon, acidification, salinity and pollution are of vital importance. The updated agricultural census data should always be available as it forms a vital baseline for on-going monitoring.

Indicators - Relating to agriculture and land productivity also form the DEAT initiative of formulating the National Core Set of Environmental Indicators. It has been discovered that land productivity indicators cross-cut various areas of land management such as forestry, agriculture and even the urban environment. Through a series of workshops, a recommended short list of the most useful and practical indicators for local farming systems has been drawn up, to include: Please refer to the section on environmental and sustainable development indicators for a set of proposed indicators for future monitoring and reporting.

7.1.9 Linkages

This section is linked to:

7.1.10 Conclusion and recommendations

Previous policies led to the degradation of the natural resource base, particularly through insufficient or no clearly defined property rights that consequently resulted in some areas being over-populated, e.g. tribal or communal land. For the objectives of sustainable development to be achieved, there is a need for property rights that create incentives for sustainable resource use. Freehold tenure of land was granted to those institutions that were deemed to be essential to the economy such as mines, factories, the energy sector, commercial forestry, and commercial farmers. Therefore, the process of land redistribution programmes should be accelerated as the commencement of agricultural activities depends on it. More research on agricultural issues and their states must be conducted in the North West Province in order to identify the constraints and benefits of all sectors of farming ranging from small scale farming to medium and large scale farming. This will also assist in the prevention of further land degradation whilst benefiting the community at large.

Information gathered needs to provide necessary guidelines to the government, local communities, NGOs and other interested parties on the state and nature of agricultural activities within the area. It is important to note that with the ever-increasing rate of unemployment and poverty in rural areas, the role of the black emerging farmers cannot be underestimated, as it can reduce malnutrition by providing food to the poor. The reality is that the small-scale farming can improve standards of living of poor rural populations, thus, the past inequalities in provision of land and capital should be redressed.

Commercial farming has created conditions of widespread natural resource degradation, including the introduction of alien species. These species should be eradicated and strictly controlled through strict regulations. Organic supplements to pesticides and fertilizers should also be introduced to ensure the sustainable management of the natural resources. The use of pesticides and fertilizers should be effectively controlled, and farming practices reviewed to determine optimal practices, best suited for the type of land.

7.2 Mining

7.2.1 Introduction

Mining is a primary economic activity. By definition, it is not sustainable in the long term, because the minerals being extracted within a few years were formed and deposited over millions of years of geological time. Mining has been the backbone of the South African economy since the discovery of diamonds and gold towards the end of the 19th Century. Despite diversification of South Africa's economy, the mining industry remains a key sector. Accounting for approximately one third of GDP, mining accounts for about 50% of foreign exchange earnings, employs 12% of the workforce directly and possibly up to one third indirectly. The total revenue from all minerals sales, export and local combined amounted to some R 52,29 billion in 1994.

Mining is one of the key sectors of the North West Province. The Province produced the third largest amount of gold, at 139,2 tons (24% of the total) in 1994. North West Province produces 70% of the world's platinum from the platinum mines in the Rustenburg region. Furthermore, mining provides an important market for domestic suppliers, and is a raw material source for local mineral-based industries, e.g. cement, steel and many others (Table 7.2.1 and Map 24).

Table 7.2.1: Selected mining statistics for four provinces for 1994. (Source: Department of Minerals and Energy, 1998).

RSA Free State North West Gauteng Mpuma-langa
% Of Total Labour 100 22.5 18.5 30.1 13.7
Number of mines 843 82 87 133 117
Number of paid workers 539 791 121 352 100 027 162 531 73 916
Gross salaries (R million) 13 410 2 645 2 351 3 525 2 379
Total wages (R million) 42 124 6 578 6 563 10 491 9 211

7.2.2 Driving forces

Economic
Mining is driven by demand for minerals. The demand is influenced by general economic factors. For instance: economic growth promotes building, which stimulates demand for ferrous metal products, clay bricks, slate, quarry stone and sand, all of which are fundamentally mining products. International economic forces also drive mining for precious metals. The commodity markets supply and demand mechanisms determine the prices of precious metals like gold and platinum. The mineral commodity price in turn determines the potential for profits to be made by mining for these metals in the North West Province. Economic affluence in general, but particularly in South Africa, stimulates demand not only for raw materials like steel and other industrial metals, but also for diamonds and precious metals, both for jewellery and for investment.

Socio-political
The White Paper on a Minerals and Mining Policy for South Africa (GN 2359,GG19344 of 20/10/1998) clearly spells out the desire to redress the injustices of the past. The emergence of a new class of small to medium-sized mine owners, from previously disadvantaged communities, is being encouraged. In the more general environmental field the government legislated for equitable access to natural resources, which naturally include mineral resources and the social and economic benefits that accompany it. In contrast to the Apartheid system:

7.2.3 Pressures

Mining is, by definition, not sustainable as it involves the depletion of non-renewable resources. The jobs that mining creates are, therefore, not permanent. As the initially lucrative ore deposits are exhausted, the focus changes toward the lower grade deposits. The mining of these ore deposits is becoming increasingly viable due to the technological advancements in ore extraction. This is complemented by improved methods of exploration to find new ore bodies. With the increasing global demand for minerals, such as platinum, the supply is stimulated through market forces that increase the price, hence prolonging the mining life of otherwise marginal mines.

The investment of large amounts of capital in developing new mining ventures may pay handsome dividends to the investors. Such dividends are increasingly dependent upon sound environmental management practices, due to external as well as internal demands for sustainable development. This means that the mining industry must ensure that sustainable land use will still be a viable option after the closure of the mines.

A major pressure in the mining industry is to optimise the financial costs of sound environmental management over the entire life cycle of any mine, which includes rehabilitation and environmental restoration activities. Mining can only occur where the mineral deposits are situated; therefore there is little choice when placing a mine in an ecologically sensitive area. However, the treatment of the basic ores, beneficiation of ores or the abstraction of the desired mineral from the ore may be located away from the mine in ecologically less sensitive areas, provided they are not too far away from the deposits. The economic viability of any particular mining venture is also, to some extent, affected by how much environmental restoration needs to be done. Environmental restoration is a major cost item in the planning of a mine. It used to be one for which the expenditure could be readily reduced in difficult financial times. However, experience has shown that the detrimental effects of such short-term survival strategies are often only evident at a much later stage. Therefore, the larger mining concerns have brought about significant changes to environmental remediation strategies to address the need for timely and appropriate corrective action.

The principal social pressures in the mining industry stem from the use of the migrant labour system over a period of many decades. This system led to the destruction of traditional family structures with the breadwinner and father of the house far away from home and contact with his family occurring only irregularly. The hostel housing system created temporary housing on the mine, cut off from community and family support groups.

Increasing mining activities in the North West Province also attracted large numbers of unemployed persons looking for opportunities. Unfortunately, the development of the necessary infrastructure to provide housing for increasing numbers of people looking for employment, did not keep track of the population growth. Therefore, large areas of informal housing were established. In these areas, unemployment is still very high with concomitant high levels of poverty. Naturally, this situation puts significant pressures on the resources of the NWP and particular on the authorities responsible for the provision of housing, water, sanitation, health and poverty relief.

7.2.4 State

As already indicated above, the mining industry is the most important GGP component in the North West Province. Naturally the different types of mines are concentrated in those areas where the natural geological deposits are found. Although mining areas cover less than 1% of the total surface area of the Province, mining and associated industries contribute almost 50% of the GGP of the Province.

Gold mines - The gold mines stretch westward from Gauteng, where gold was first mined in the 19th Century. However, the main gold mining activities in the Province commenced much later, only reaching their peak during the latter half of the 20th Century in the so-called "Potchefstroom gap" and further west along the Vaal River near Klerksdorp and Orkney. Some of the richest mines are found in these areas and therefore, most of the associated industrial activities and concentrations of people occurred in these parts of the Province. Inevitably, large tracts of farmland were acquired by the mining industry, while the associated urban development also took up significant areas previously used for agriculture. Because gold mines in the North West Province are younger than those in Gauteng, they still have a significant life span.

Platinum mines - The advent of the platinum mining industry during the last two decades saw the reliance of mining income from the gold and diamond mines decrease, while that from platinum mines increased to such an extent that the North West Province is now known as the "Platinum Province". Platinum mines and the associated mineral processing industry are found around Rustenburg, north of the Magaliesberg. Platinum has overtaken gold as the most important mining product in the Province.

Chrome mines - Chrome mines are found in the same geographical region as the platinum mines. The positive economic effects of the platinum mines are enhanced by the chrome mines and their associated mineral processing facilities and infrastructural developments.

Diamond mines - Diamond mining occurs primarily along present and ancient riverbeds in the lower reaches of the Vaal River catchment and consists mainly of open-caste alluvial diggings. There are also numerous operations associated with small-scale diggers in the Province, and these can have a cumulative impact if not properly managed.

Other mines - Other mines in the Province include manganese, vanadium, nickel, silver, gabbro,dolerite, norite, shale, slate, banded-ironstone, crocodolite, travertine, limestone, dolomite, salt, wonderstone, fluorspar, andalusite and asbestos mines.
Most of the major and most profitable mineral resources, with the exception of platinum resources. have been largely exploited. The mining industry will now have to revert to the exploitation of less profitable resources, except for the platinum mines, which may lead to mining being an unsustainable activity in the North West Province.

7.2.5 Impacts

The positive and negative impacts of the mining industry on the socio-economic and natural environment have been summarised in Figure 7.2.1.


Figure 7.2.1: Impact of the mining industry in the North West Province.


Environmental impacts
The establishment of many small new mines exerts additional pressure on the environment, through the increased extraction of non-renewable resources. Although these mining enterprises are subject to the environmental legal provisions, the small to medium-sized diamond mines are notorious for resisting compliance with environmental legal requirements, mainly due to a lack of resources and appropriate empowerment and capacity-building in sound environmental management practices. Mined areas are frequently abandoned once the diamond deposits run out and the owners vanish. Thus the state is left with the onerous and expensive task of trying to rehabilitate the disturbed areas. Therefore, the responsible authorities have introduced the so-called "pecuniary measures" (financial provisions) to prevent the above behaviour and practices.
The environmental impacts are discussed in more detail in: Social impacts
The social environment is positively affected by mining in the short term, by providing jobs and a market for locally produced goods and services. Negative social effects include the destruction of family life by the migrant labour system and hostel complexes, through the establishment of brothels, informal settlements associated with the establishment of mining infrastructure, high crime levels and the associated spread of HIV/AIDS.

Mines often construct access roads and introduce services such as water and electricity into an area, which impact positively on the community. The transportation of mining products by road often also results in deterioration of the existing road infrastructure. However, when a mine closes down, these service providers are left without a viable alternative source of income. Infrastructure development, such as roads, which may have been required during the life of the mine, often remain as "improvements" to the geographical area, even though they may no longer be required. This unnecessary infrastructure may cause soil and environmental degradation. In terms of safety and security, wherever mining of precious metals and diamonds are undertaken, there is some pressure on the South African Police Service to curb the illegal dealing in stolen commodities.

Institutional impacts
Mining companies exert pressure on the government institutions in many ways. Whenever the supply and demand market trends negatively affect commodities, the mining companies are quick to approach government for tax relief and other financial benefits, in order to "save the loss of jobs". The plummet of the gold price in the late 1980s is a classic example of this phenomenon. However, while this may be true in other parts of the country, the mines in the North West Province have not received financial assistance from the state (Department of Minerals and Energy).

Economic impacts
Mining provides raw materials for other industries, such as the steel industry, which leads to job creation and the development of indirect activities associated with it, such as wholesale and retail businesses. As indicated above, mining also positively impacts on the establishment of infrastructure such as roads, services, commercial enterprises and the provision of energy during operational phase, which in turn provide increased economic opportunities to the people in the area. The problem is that nearly all instances of this positive impact are of a temporary nature. After the cessation of the mining operations, there is no need for all the facilities, and the entire development becomes superfluous resulting in ghost towns, because the core economic aspect of mining no longer exists.

7.2.6 Response

The North West Province has mechanisms in place to ensure responsible environmental conduct through structures such as the Provincial Inter-Governmental Forum (PIGF) and a Provincial Committee for Environmental Co-ordination (PCEC), in response to the need to establish co-operation between different governmental institutions. The Environmental Impact Evaluation Unit of the North West DACE is responsible for the monitoring of activities in North West Province that could have a detrimental effect on the environment.

The government responded to the need for regulating the adverse effects of mining through direct and indirect measures. Direct measures include the Minerals Act (Act No. 50 of 1991), the Minerals and Petroleum Development Bill (2002 )and the White Paper of Minerals and Energy (Government Notice 2359 of 20 October 1998). The Minerals Act requires of every mine to establish an Environmental Management Plan (EMP), which must be submitted to the Department of Minerals and Energy for authorisation prior to the commencement of any prospecting or mining activities. The basic requirements for an EMP can be summarised as follows: The Minerals Act No 50 of 1991, defined the environmental management performance requirements in more detail and also added to the environmental management measures required from the mining industry, including: Indirect measures include those contained in, for example, the National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998), which regulates the general use and discharge of water, but only addresses the mining aspects through regulations. The regulations published by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in Government Notice 704 of 4 June 1999, will become a cornerstone of regulating water-related environmental impacts from the mining industry. A significant aspect of this act is that the person responsible for any water pollution must bear the cost for the remediation of such pollution ("polluter pays principle").

An important institutional response to the general deterioration of the quality of our environment and the increased focus on environmental issues was the promulgation of the National Environmental Management Act, No. 107 of 1998. Important principles embodied in this Act are: These legal provisions quoted above, together with all other related sectoral legislation have to be implemented by the Province as one of the controlling authorities.

7.2.7 Outcomes

A negative picture of continued and even accelerated environmental degradation is foreseen, if mining is continued. The natural beauty of the countryside, so essential for eco-tourism, is being degraded by, for example, mining for dimensional stone (granite). This is very prevalent in the Rustenburg-Brits area. The mining of the granite koppies in this area leaves a very unimpressive environmental management trail, more so in that it occurs very close to one of the Province's major tourist areas. As mineral resources become depleted and mining operations close down thousands of jobless persons, trained only as miners, will flood the already oversupplied labour market.

7.2.8 Linkages

This sub-sector is linked to:

7.2.9 Data issues and indicators

Data issues - Information about mining activities can be found at the Council for Geo-science, The Chamber of Mines and the individual mines in the area. The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) also has a database that can be accessed for information relating to mining. In an attempt to contribute to the better understanding and management of the impacts of mining activities on the environment, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment commissioned a database on the state of mines in the Province in 1999. As part of the contract, the data available from the various offices of the DME was compiled into a single database. This database was designed specially for the management of environmental and social impacts of mines within the context of sustainability. It is believed that the DME has at its disposal a wealth of information on aspects such as the social impacts of mining contained in the relevant sections of the EMPR documents submitted by the mines. This data is, however, not available in a format well-suited for strategic decision making about the impacts of the mining industry.

Indicators - No specific indicators were used in this section of the report. Please refer to the section on environmental and sustainable development indicators for a set of proposed indicators for future monitoring and reporting.

7.2.10 Conclusions and recommendations

Mining exerts a severe negative impact on the environment. There is, however, also some positive social and economic impact (for example, job creation and improvements in the quality of life). The requirement that some of the profits derived from mining be applied to create sustainable jobs in other economic sectors, should receive the highest political priority. Sustainable methods of mining, as well as regular reporting on progress, is of the utmost importance.

Crucial to managing the environmental impact of mines in the North West Province is the requirement for a very detailed database on all mines and abandoned mines in the Province. For each of the many minerals and products mined, such as platinum, gold, diamonds and other minerals mined as the primary product, as well as a whole host of secondary products in the province, the resource utilisation planners needs to know the following: The rehabilitated asbestos mine dumps should be regularly monitored and maintained. The residual pollution of land and facilities associated with the abandoned mines, such as at Pomfret needs to be addressed. The slimes dams at older gold mines are known to cause severe groundwater pollution problems in the North West Province. It is necessary that these structures, not only be rehabilitated on the surface, but that appropriate measures also be instituted to contain and reverse the spreading of ground water pollution. The environmental performance required of mines in terms of their EMPs, as reflected in their EMPRs, together with the recently added monitoring and auditing programmes, must be strictly enforced.

The environmental impacts of individual mines as well as the cumulative impacts of the mining industry should be monitored on a regular basis to determine the trends in environmental management performance over the short-, medium- and long-term. A database of abandoned mines should be established and appropriate measures should be investigated, assessed and evaluated to determine the best practicable solutions to existing problems. The declared progressive social, economic and environmental management policies and strategies of the national government for the mining industry must be integrated and implemented as fast as possible to benefit the people of the NWP as a whole.

7.3 Industry and Manufacturing

7.3.1 Introduction

Successful industrialisation presupposes a favourable economic environment engendered by general economic growth and the development of infrastructure and social services. The scope, scale and distribution of industries and manufacturing activities are influenced by legislative, economic, social and demographic factors. Industry and manufacturing contribute significantly to employment creation in the economy of the Province. Industry and manufacturing also contribute to infrastructure development, including telecommunication, electricity, roads, and water supply and sanitation. It is also an important source of foreign exchange. Despite their contribution to economic growth, most industries potentially pose serious health hazards and environmental problems to the citizens. Economic activities can be divided into primary economic activities, secondary economic activities and tertiary economic activities. Mining and agriculture are examples of primary economic activities, while manufacturing and processing form part of secondary economic activities. Services such as banking and insurance are examples of tertiary economic activities.

7.3.2 Driving forces

There are 4 main forces driving the industrial and manufacturing sectors of the Province. These are: The modernisation of society and the high level of consumerism have increased the demand for goods and services. With an ever-increasing population and cross-cultural movements in a globalised world, satisfying the diverse needs of all sections of society is a major factor for the spawning of industries.

7.3.3 Pressures

The industrial and manufacturing sectors are faced with both endogenous and exogenous pressures Endogenous pressures stem from the ability of the various industrial and manufacturing groups to withstand competitors of the same product category both in terms of quality and cost as well as pricing policies. They include: The main exogenous factors include:

7.3.4 State

The distribution of development and economic activities is not homogenous, but is largely based on supply and demand of resources and raw materials within the respective districts. Services are more clustered in the urban centres of the Southern and Eastern Districts and fairly spread across the Central District. Mining is mainly concentrated in the Rustenburg and Klerksdorp areas, accounting for over 90% of mining activities in the Province. Manufacturing is heavily concentrated in the Eastern District and to a lesser extent in the Southern and Central Districts. Other development and economic activities such as construction and trade follow a similar pattern of concentration as all the other activities.

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 this represents an average annual growth in GGP of 2.8% over this period. The importance of the manufacturing sector in the economy of the North West Province has remained fairly stable at around 8.3% between 1990 and 1999. On the district level, the western Bophirima District has a poor economic base, is isolated from markets and surrounded by districts of low diversified economies. Economic opportunities exist in the mining, tourism and agricultural sectors. In the mining sector, further development of the Pering mine and Kalahari Gold Ridge mine, alluvial diamond mining in the Harts river, possible Kimberlite diamond deposits in Ganyesa and Vorsterhoop areas and the processing of imported dimension stone associated with the Taung marble cutting infrastructure has a lot of potential to expand the economic base. The expansion of irrigation from the Taung dam to unutilised, potentially irrigable areas to increase crop threshold volumes will stimulate value-adding agro-processing activities complemented by output from the Vaal Harts areas.

In the Southern District, mining dominates in the Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp area. In general, the District has high levels of social and personal services in the urban centres and a comparatively low manufacturing base. The economy is not diversified despite the potential growth impetus provided by the mining sector. Several important characteristics are evident at magisterial district level for the manufacturing sector (Economic Development and Industrialisation Plan for the North West Province, 2001): 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. The following important trends can be identified at district level:

7.3.5 Impacts

Industry and manufacturing impacts on the social structures of a community, due to the fact that most industries and manufacturing plants are located in urban areas. They contribute to urbanization of the population and to the expansion of urban areas. The migrant labourers being employed by this sector can have a severely negative impact on a community and can cause social problems. Industry and Manufacturing can also have a positive social impact, by providing better prospects for jobs and a stable income. Industry and manufacturing plants generate large amounts of waste products and therefore, the existence of these plants necessitate good waste management policies and procedures. Other pollutants generated by Industry and Manufacturing includes nuisances due to bad odours and smells, dust and noise.

The effluent from industries and manufacturing plants often pollute water sources such as aquifers, rivers etc. These poisons and toxins in the water can cause severe environmental damage to humans and to animal life, especially aquatic life. If pollutants are spilled on soil, they can cause severe soil degradation and damage to vegetation. Emissions released to the atmosphere from use of fossil-based fuel contribute to atmospheric degradation. Sulphur, ammonia and nitrogen emissions increase the likelihood of acid rain with its consequently negative impact on soil and water quality, plant growth and performance.

7.3.6 Response

In response to the negative impacts of industrialization and manufacturing processes on the environment, comprehensive legislation has been promulgated to minimize these negative impacts on the environment and to ensure sustainable development in the future. The principle of sustainable development forms the basis for the promulgation of various other pieces of legislation, including but not limited to the White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management (Government Notice 227 of 17 March 2000), the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act (Act No. 45 of 1965), the Environment Conservation Act (Act No. 73 of 1989) and related regulations. ISO 14001 also emphasizes environmental monitoring, auditing and reporting, as well as the implementation of "greener and cleaner" technology.

The response, as a result of the industrial and manufacturing sectors' reaction to the pressures and challenges of policy and legislation, and of internal and external pressures, has, among others, been the adoption of techniques to prevent pollution and environmental degradation. The emphasis of these technological policies and procedures should be the adherence to the principle of Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO). These industrial and manufacturing pollution prevention strategies have been grouped into six categories:
  1. In-process recycling;
  2. Process design & planning;
  3. Process modification;
  4. Improved plant operation;
  5. Changes in end product, and
  6. Input substitution.
Several obstacles to pollution prevention suggest the enormous opportunities still available in the industrial sector. Two remaining problems are that many businesses, both large and small, lack access to technical information on profitable pollution prevention strategies, as well as the diseconomies associated with its control.

7.3.7 Outcomes

There is an obvious need to address pollution prevention, which hinges on: Greater emphasis should also be placed on the practical enforcement of the legislation mentioned in Section 7.3.6 above.

7.3.8 Linkages

This sub-sector is linked to:

7.3.9 Data issues and indicators

Data issues - Not much data exists for the monitoring of long-term environmental trends of the operations of industries and manufacturing companies in the Province. Whatever data there is, belongs to companies themselves, and cannot be relied on since these companies are unlikely to provide data that would incriminate them.
Indicators - Indicators for this section can be linked to the set used in the previous SA national SoER. It should be noted that the current indicator initiative, is reviewing these indicators to ensure that the economy-environment link is highlighted: Please refer to the section on environmental and sustainable development indicators for a set of proposed indicators for future monitoring and reporting.

7.3.10 Conclusions and recommendations

The industrial and manufacturing sectors of the North West Province play a significant role in the economic spheres of the Province providing much needed employment and a capital injection into the system. However, it is recommended that the following be undertaken:

7.4 Wholesale and Retail Distribution

7.4.1 Introduction

Wholesalers and retailers are an integral part of the economic environment and basically differ from each other only on a quantitative scale. Wholesaling comprises the selling of items in large quantities mainly to retailers. Retailing, on the other hand, involves the selling of items in small quantities to the public. Wholesaling and retailing form an integral part of the economic development of the North West Province and it is recognised as the third largest sector in importance. It was suggested that the promotion of small and emerging entrepreneurs in the Province should be a priority for the short- and medium term, as far as the allocation of funds is concerned. This proposal was subsequently approved and implemented by government (A re Ageng, 2001).

7.4.2 Driving forces

The driving forces of wholesale and retail distribution in the North West Province are mainly socio-economic, and rely on the following interlinked and interdependent factors:
The nature of the product
For a product to be classified as a necessity, it needs to fulfil a basic human need namely, food, shelter and clothing. Wholesalers are normally product specific and tend to sell a single product or range of products. The main categories of products sold in the Province include, foodstuffs, clothing, building materials, stationary and household utensils. Retail products are essentially the same as wholesale products but are sold at a smaller scale. Retailers tend not to be product specific, and will buy from various wholesalers, while wholesalers are normally specialized in certain product ranges and/or products. Retailers thus have a larger variety of products. Retailers are also classified as either formal (registered) or informal retailers (unregistered). The formal retailers within the Province include: Informal retailers sell at an even lower scale than formal retailers and tend to display their wares on shopfronts or carry them from one place to another. Their target market range from the highest to the lowest income brackets, by selling products such as perishable fresh produce, live produce, livestock, food, beverages, clothing, shoes, household goods and accessories.

Overall infrastructure
The level of development and existing infrastructure of a region is determined by the number and quality of existing roads; the accessibility of electricity, as a source of energy, to target communities; and the presence of telecommunication lines and masts. The abovementioned factors in turn determine the accessibility of an area to prospective wholesalers and retailers. Infrastructure, thus, can be said to determine product availability and demand, and influences, to an extent, the spatial pattern of wholesale and retail distribution within the Northwest Province.

Population constitution and distribution
Any changes within the demographic structure of a population will directly influence the size and composition of the labour force, which will in turn determine the demand for all kinds of specific goods and services. These workers are the major contributors to the provinces' economy, and though unskilled, they form the majority of the labour force in the mining, manufacturing and agricultural industries. In addition, they provide a market for retail and wholesale business within the Province. They tend to frequent urban wholesalers and retailers, and contribute towards the denser wholesale and retail distribution pattern in the provinces' major economic urban centres. Due to the composition of the population, and the low average income levels in the rural communities, wholesalers are almost non-existent in such areas, while there are few retailers and these normally only sell basic affordable necessities. On the other hand, the standard of living is higher in the urban areas, resulting in an abundance of retailers and wholesalers relative to the market. In contrast to the rural retailers, urban retailers sell everything from the most basic items, to so-called luxury items. Payment can be in the form of cash, cheques or credit cards.

Local and global economic trends
The mining industry is the core source of income, alongside agriculture, in the economy of the eastern (Rustenburg) and southern (Klerksdorp) regions of the North West. A pattern has been established that illustrates the concentration of business within and on the periphery of main economic centres. The North West Province has five such centres namely Brits, Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Rustenburg and Mafikeng. These centres in the Province provide the greatest employment opportunities, and will therefore have a more rapid economic growth rate than the rural areas. The economy of different areas within the Province is a very important driving force with regard to the distribution of wholesale and retail business within the Province. However, other external global trends such as the gold price and the rate of inflation also contributes to the overall economy of the Province's five main economic regions.

7.4.3 Pressures

Wholesaling and retailing as such, even though classified as human activities, exert an insignificant amount of pressure (positive or negative), on the biophysical environment. The reasons for this are: Pressure, however minimal, can be exerted on the natural environment as a result of:

7.4.4 State

The retail and wholesale sector in North West Province has increased in importance (as measured by GGP), growing from an output of 2.9 billion in 1990 to 4.7 Billion in 1999. This represents a significant growth of approximately 5.3% per annum over this period. The contribution of the wholesale and retail sector in terms of its contribution to the provincial economy increased from 8.9% to 11.2% over this period. The contribution of the North West as a proportion of national production in trade and wholesale also significantly increased from 3.3% in 1990 to 5% in 1999. 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. In general, the importance of the wholesale and retail trade sector decreased in the central, southern and western parts of the North West Province. Conversely, it experienced a remarkable proportional increase in its contribution to district level GGP in the eastern parts of the Province (Economic Development and Industrialisation Plan for the North West Province, 2001).

7.4.5 Impact

The extent of the impact on the biophysical environment depends on the topography of the area (its altitude, underlying soil types, and the overall geo-hydrological characteristics of an area) and the composition of the vegetation (endemic, endangered or foreign species) because they basically determine the susceptibility of a specific natural habitat to human activities.
Primary impact is that which arises directly from an activity or project. Although wholesalers are classified as large-scale businesses, their impact on the environment is of a primary nature, as it occurs as a result of construction activities; for example, removal of vegetation, a deterioration of the aesthetic value of the landscape, and pollution of air (dust) and surface and groundwater (Table 7.4.1).

Type of activity Type of impact Severity of impact
Construction of access roads
  1. Trampling of indigenous vegetation by heavy machinery.
  2. Removal of vegetation in the path of proposed access roads, decreases the bio-diversity of the natural habitat.
 Moderate.
Clearing vegetation in preparation of construction
  1. 1.Removal of indigenous vegetation, resulting in increased vulnerability to invader species.
  2. 2.A deterioration in the aesthetic value of the landscape.
 Mild to Moderate.
Digging of soil and removal of rocks
  1. 1.Destruction of the soil structure, increasing the rate of infiltration of pollutants through the soil into ground water reserves.
  2. 2.Exacerbation of the processes weathering and soil erosion
  3. 3.Release of dust into the atmosphere.
Mild to Moderate.
Transport of construction machinery and materials.
  1. 1. Air pollution by trucks transporting excess soil and rocks.
  2. 2. Possible leakage of oil and petrol into the soil.
 Moderate


Secondary impact arises from an action, but is not directly initiated by it. Retail activities on the other hand exhibit the types of impact that occurs as a result of interaction with the communities they serve. Examples are rubbish, litter, water pollution, air pollution (dust and vehicle emissions) and sewage. The secondary impact of different types of retail and wholesale businesses is illustrated in Table 7.4.2.

Table 7.4.2: Secondary impact of wholesale and retail business in the North West Province.


Accommodation Hotels and motels Impacts
Accommodation Hotels and motels Litter, removal of vegetation and sewage.
Increased water consumption and waste generation.
Entertainment Restaurants, pubs and bars Litter and Sewage.
Increased water consumption and waste generation.
Textile retailers Clothing and house-ware shops Waste and packaging disposal.
Transportation and road use.
Service providers Garages, service stations and car washes Oil, petrol and diesel spills, pollution of soils, surface- and groundwater.
Supermarkets Food, drinks and basic necessities The containers used plastic packaging,
bottled and canned foodstuffs are not
biodegradable.
The informal sector Hawkers, fruit and vegetable sellers. Littering.
Reduction of aesthetic value of area.
Congestion of walkways.


Induced secondary impact occurs as a result of linkages introduced by a project or activity, and those that occur as a result of the infrastructure associated with the establishment of wholesale and retail business. An example of induced secondary impact is illustrated below. For instance, the construction of roads may lead to increased traffic level, which in turn leads to increased air pollution, and a higher incidence of respiratory ailments.
The positive impact of wholesale and retail business are mainly socio-economic namely:

7.4.6 Responses

Government departments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the business sector all have an inherent responsibility to ensure that development within the Province is of a sustainable nature. Their response is a managerial one that ensures that law enforcement procedures are followed in cases of non-compliance, and that polluters pay for any negative impact on the biophysical environment resulting from their activities. According to Section 21 of the Environment Conservation Act (Act No. 73 of 1989), the upgrading and construction of any premises (business or private), and associated infrastructure, namely roads, power lines and telecommunication lines are classified as listed activities that may have a detrimental effect on the environment. These activities should be tested for sustainability by applying the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process to determine their possible impacts on the environment (see Chapter 15).

7.4.7 Outcomes

Positive outcomes include: Negative outcomes include:

7.4.8 Linkages

Linkages exist between wholesale and retail distribution and:

7.4.9 Data issues and indicators

Data issues - Relevant up-to-date data regarding wholesale and retail distribution and its actual impact on the quality of the natural environment is not readily available. Information on possible impact might be available for specific sites from EIA reports, but environmental monitoring post construction is unlikely o be available for the wholesale and retail sector.

Indicators - Indicators for this section can be linked to the set used in the previous South African national SoER of 1999. It should be noted that the current indicator initiative, is reviewing these indicators to ensure that the economy-environment link is highlighted: Please refer to the section on environmental and sustainable development indicators for a set of proposed indicators for future monitoring and reporting.

7.4.10 Conclusions and recommendations

All plans, for the construction of suitable premises for wholesale and retail purposes, must include an EIA process, done in compliance with the relevant applicable legislation, such as the Environment Conservation Act, No. 73 of 1989. This is necessary to determine the nature, extent and scale of any impacts on both the natural and socio-economic environments.
As part of society, business as a whole should formulate a uniform response to provincial environmental concerns and to map a way forward regarding: Each individual should be environmentally responsible for his immediate surroundings and participate in environmental concern forums that address sustainable solutions to actions or activities detrimental to the natural environment.

7.5 Infrastructure

7.5.1 Introduction

Infrastructure in its diverse nature is the fundamental prerequisite, underpinning economic development and expansion in any country or region. The North West Province has a good network of infrastructure, including road and rail network (Map 25), air transport, post and telecommunication, electricity and bulk water supply. This infrastructure has opened important linkages and opportunities in terms of trade and investment, crucial to the land-locked North West Province's economy.
The different types of infrastructure include:

7.5.2 Driving forces

Attracting investments, economic growth and expansion, accessibility and efficient communication are the primary drivers of infrastructure development. The degree of concentration of industry, agriculture, settlements, tourism, mining, and the general flow of goods and services has influenced the distribution of necessary infrastructure. Development and the provision of services are key driving forces for the establishment of new infrastructure. In South Africa's new dispensation, factors such as social pressures from civil society, the need for equitable spatial development and other macro-economic policy considerations will influence various infrastructure developments. One of the major driving forces behind infrastructure development in the new dispensation is the supply of water and electricity to previously disadvantaged and rural communities.

7.5.3 Pressures

The lack of adequate funds and competing needs of other sectors of the society, in particular social welfare needs, are negative pressures on the current administration's ability to develop and expand on existing infrastructure. The RDP determined minimum standard of basic services delivery are: In virtually every sector the North West Province has inherited a considerable backlog in meeting basic infrastructure delivery standards. This will take time to address, due to the low economic growth rates in the Province and reduced budget allocations from central government. In fact, the population increase in the Province is approximately 56 000 people annually, all of whom require housing, water, electricity, sanitation and post and telecommunication services, thus applying more pressure on existing infrastructure. The need to keep up the pace of development to meet international standards of infrastructure requirements for investment, economic growth and social equity, an improved quality of life and also for political expediency often motivates the development of infrastructure. The resultant effect of all this infrastructure development is an inevitable pressure on the Province's natural environment, including:

7.5.4 State

The major issues of concern in the North West Province are:

Transport and roads

The level of funding for roads has decreased dramatically in the last few years. This continual decline has had a severe impact on the condition of roads in the province, while little funding has been available for new road construction. Four percent of roads are already beyond economic repair, while another 12% need immediate attention. According to estimates these figures could increase by 20% per annum. There are also gravel roads carrying 800 vehicles per day, which need to be upgraded to surface standard. These mostly occur in the Eastern District, Rustenburg District and Central District (A re Ageng 2001) Table 7.5.1 illustrates the discrepancy in funds allocated towards maintenance and the building of roads, versus the amounts needed to maintain and upgrade the existing road network.

Table 7.5.1: Road maintenance needs in the North West Province (Source: A Re Ageng, 2001).

Item TotalBacklog(5 Years) AnnualBacklog(1 Year) RunningNeed TotalAnnualNeed PresentBudget
Routine maintenance 89.7 99.9 66.0
Surfaced Roads 51.0 70.6 88.2 70.5
Gravel Roads 88.0 17.6 50.0 69.0 20.4
Reseal 95.2 19.0 150.0 259.0 31.0
Rehabilitation 544.0 109.0 117.0 217.4 16.2
Regravelling 502.0 100.4 25.0 133.4 12.0
Upgrading 542.0 108.4 50.0 150.0 6.4
Development 500.0 100 60.0 60.0 33.9
Planning & Design
TOTAL R 2 322.2 R 464.6 R 612.3 R 1 076.9 R 256.4
All figures are R millions - 2000 Rand value


Surface, groundwater and bulk water supply infrastructure
A relatively well-developed bulk water supply infrastructure exists, which serves the main towns and peri-urban areas and a number of rural villages in the Eastern and Southern boundary and parts of the Rustenburg Districts. The Magalies Water and Rand Water Board mostly operate bulk water infrastructure systems in these areas. The Southern District is endowed with well-established bulk infrastructure from the Vaal River and local resources to existing mining and urban development areas.
A limited bulk water supply infrastructure exists in the Central and Bophirima Districts, with most villages and towns relying on groundwater. Reasons for the lack of infrastructure include the lack of surface water resources and the high cost of bulk infrastructure systems' supply and maintenance (see Chapter 13).

Telecommunication
Two telephone systems currently operate in the North West Province. Telkom provides a landline telephone network through microwave towers and satellite links to the former Transvaal and Cape Provinces whilst in the remainder of the Province the same services are provided by Siemens, a German company. Relatively few (18%) households in North West Province have a telephone inside the dwelling, compared to the national figure of 32%. While 77% of white households have a telephone, only 9% of African households have one. However, a percentage (19%) of people also have access to telephone facilities at neighbours' places, shops and clinics, and pay phones. Just over four in ten (42%) African households do not have access to any telephone facilities; the corresponding figure for white households is 14% (Figure 7.5.1).



Figure 7.5.1: Access to telephones in North West Province in 1995 (Source: Statistics South Africa, 1995).


A cellular network infrastructure is also available in urban areas, along main- and other secondary roads throughout the Province. This infrastructure is provided by Vodacom and MTN. The eastern and southwestern Districts have better access to both cellular and fixed landline phones whilst the northwestern areas of the Province are not adequately catered for. In 1995, only 1% of households (5% of whites and less than 1% of African households) had access to cellular phones. (Stats SA, 1995).

7.5.5 Impact

The impact of road, rail and vehicular movements includes: The impact of dams on the environment includes: The impact of supplying bulk water includes: Electricity and telecommunication grids and lines impact the environment as follows:

7.5.6 Responses

The South African Government' response to the infrastructural inadequacies is the provision of such facilities to areas previously without such infrastructure, and a programme of maintenance and upgrading. However, the lack of adequate financing means this, relative to society's expectations, has been inadequate. During the period 1994 to 2000 only about 459 kilometres of new roads were constructed. However, recently, the successful bidders for the toll road from Pretoria to Rustenburg, also called "The Platinum Corridor" were announced. This toll road is one of the anchor projects for this corridor, and is scheduled to commence in 2002. The Pilanesberg Market Plan was developed and completed in 1996 to assess the economic viability and sustainability should the airport be upgraded. In December 1998 the management of the airport was transferred to the Airport Company of South Africa (ACSA) for a period of 20 years. During this period of managing this state asset for its own account, the company is expected to upgrade the Pilanesberg Airport before it is transferred back to government again.

At the end of 1999 a tender for the redeployment of Mafikeng Airport had been awarded for an investigation into the optimal utilisation of its facilities. A Masterplan that provides opportunities for investors have been recently approved and is the subject of negotiations with major international airport companies. In the past not much attention was given to the negative environmental impacts associated with infrastructure development such as roads, telecommunication and electrification, even though policy and legislative instruments to abate them had been put in place. However the trend recently has been to evaluate the desirability of these developments through the use of roads, railways and vehicular movements Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes. The Development Facilitation Act, No. 67 of 1995, also promotes the concept of sustainable infrastructure development.

7.5.7 Outcomes

The inadequate capacity and number of agencies to monitor and enforce environmental standards contained in policy and legislation is one of the most important constraints on government to evoke appropriate responses to the negative impacts of infrastructure development on the environment. The worst outcome, if these tendencies are allowed to continue, would be the continuous disregard for legislation and perpetual deterioration of the environment. It is to the credit of the Provincial and Local government and bulk service providers such as Eskom, the Water Boards, Telkom, the Housing Board and the South African Postal Services, that they have improved access to physical service delivery under such difficult situations. Unfortunately, in spite of some remarkable achievements by some institutions, the position of physical service delivery in some areas has deteriorated to unacceptable levels at present (A re Ageng, 2001).

7.5.8 Linkages

Linkages exist between Infrastructure and:

7.5.9 Data issues

Information is available in the various departments (Transport, Economic Affairs, Water, etc.) and parastatals (Telkom, Eskom, Vodacom and MTN) on various infrastructure development projects. Little data, however, exists on the extent of environmental aspects of these developments. At present there are insufficient monitoring and the Environmental Management Plans are often inadequate.

7.5.10 Conclusions and recommendations

  • Compared to other provinces, the North West Province has a relatively well-developed infrastructure. This has helped the Province to gain certain economic, trade, investment and tourism advantages.

  • There is a strong provincial emphasis on the provision of infrastructure to rural and low-income areas within the Province.

  • It is recommended that an appointed agency, in co-ordination with the North West DACE, should be mandated to establish a database of the major infrastructure developers in the Province.

  • It should become mandatory for developers (including provincial departments and parastatals), to submit on a regular basis information on the environmental impact of their development programs and mitigation frameworks or Environmental Management Programmes (EMP) should be initiated to reduce such adverse impact to the environment, in terms of the North West Province's EIP.

    • 7.6 Energy

    7.6.1 Introduction

    South Africa is a country richly endowed with abundant natural resources for energy and has some of the most sophisticated and unique energy systems in the world. The general characteristic of the South African economy is the very high energy consumption relative to other countries. The energy economy of South Africa provides an essential and significant economic base with associated infrastructure for the country to attract foreign investment. Energy sources such as coal, liquid fuels, electricity, biomass and new and renewable sources of energy play a vital role in the socio-economic development. Energy underpins the economy, but energy also requires the consumption of natural resources. The main sources of energy are electricity, solar power, liquid fuels (petroleum, diesel and paraffin), natural gas, coal, and biomass and renewable sources ( wood and dung). The provision of energy is a secondary economic activity (allied with the manufacturing sector). The provision of energy to communities is one of the six basic principles of the RDP programme. The supply of energy in the RDP programme aims to: Energy generation and consumption, although interlinked, do not necessarily need to take place in the same area, e.g. the generation of electricity in Mpumalanga Province provides the electricity for consumption in North West Province.

    7.6.2 Driving forces

    Socio-economic factors, such as poverty, are linked to energy consumption patterns, both in quantity and types of fuels consumed. Poor households make extensive use of fuel burning for energy e.g. coal & paraffin consumption. Informal housing and energy consumption (especially with respect to dependency on cheap fuel types) is also related with an attendant environmental impact such as smoke emission. In the past, energy and water consumption were subsidised by government so that goods could be produced more cheaply. This resulted in industry and agriculture using energy resources inefficiently, as there was little economic demand to utilise resources economically (DEAT 1999). A significant energy component of the government's RDP programme is the aggressive electrification programme aimed at addressing the lack of access to electricity in areas previously defined as African. The electrification target was set at 2,5 million new electrical connections throughout South Africa between 1994 and 1999. The target for ESKOM was set at 1,75 million and that of local authorities at 750 000. The 1994 statistics (A Re Ageng, 2001) show that: From the above figures, taking into account an annual growth of 13 646 households per annum, it is clear that the backlog has been reduced in the North West Province by at least 218 750 households. The programme has enormous benefits for the country and experience indicates that between 10 and 20 economic activities are started for every 100 homes electrified (SANEA, 2000).

    7.6.3 Pressures

    South Africa's energy economy is characterised by a relatively high-energy intensity by industrialised country standards. Even if South Africa is compared with countries with identical levels of economic development like Malaysia, Brazil and Mexico, South Africa is highly energy-intensive. This means that a large amount of energy is used for every unit of GDP. The high-energy intensity is not confined to commercial fuels only, but applicable also to the traditional fuels, with low level of combustion efficiency. The relatively lower cost of energy, compared to energy cost in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the increase in the number of energy intensive industries like iron and steel, aluminium and extractive plants, are some of the factors contributing to the high-energy intensity in the economy. Nevertheless, the price of electricity in South Africa is amongst the cheapest in the world.

    7.6.4 State

    Energy sources The main sources of energy used in the North West Province, for cooking, heating and lighting are: Energy resources
    South Africa's coal reserves are currently estimated at 55 billion tons. Coal exports from South Africa are the third largest in the world. However, due to the environmental and health risks associated with the combustion of coal, South Africa should consider making more use of alternative more sustainable sources of energy, such as wind and solar energy. Natural gas reserves in the country are limited, whereas solar energy offers a high utilization potential, due to the high solar insolation in the country. Solar energy has great potential in the North West Province, due to the prevailing sunny climate. The use of biogas and wind energy is currently very limited. However, wind energy use offers a high potential in the country, due to the relatively high natural endowment of wind resources in certain provinces, particularly coastal provinces such as the Western and Eastern Cape.

    Energy consumption
    The final energy demand in 1997 was about 2500 PJ in South Africa. Industry consumes over 52% of the total energy, whilst transport accounts for 29% and consists mainly of automobile fuels of petrol and diesel. The consumption for households remained constant at 10% for 1996 and 1997. The World Energy Outlook projects that global energy demand will grow by 65% and carbon dioxide emissions by 70% between 1995 and 2020, unless new policies are put into place. This projection is based on an assumption of 3.1% per annum rate of economic growth (1990 US dollars and purchasing power parity), which is close to the actual rate since 1971. Over the period 1995-2020, two-thirds of the increase in energy demand is likely to come from China and the developing countries. An estimated 95% of the additional global demand from 1995-2020 will be met by fossil fuels; particularly coal for power generation and oil for road and transport. The projected energy demand trends are mirrored in South Africa; where the oil industry has recently seen significant capacity expansion. The electrification programme is expanding the electricity system markedly, and coal production for local as well as external consumption is rising.

    7.6.5 Impacts

    Energy consumption, especially coal and wood burning, is the main cause of death due to respiratory system diseases. These diseases are caused by smoke emissions from the use of these energy types in poorly ventilated environments (See Chapter 8). The energy sector in South Africa has been identified as the main source of air pollution. The major polluter is the burning of fossil fuels, especially domestic combustion of coal and the generation of electricity at the coal-fired power plants (SANEA, 2000). These sources are the largest contributors to carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions in South Africa (DEAT, 1999).

    The environmental impacts of producing 1 kW hour of electricity are:

    Water usage 1.25 litres
    Coal usage 0.5 kilograms
    Ash produced 134 grams
    Ash emitted 0.37 grams
    SOx emissions 8 grams
    NOx emissions 3 grams
    CO2 emissions. 0.96 kilograms


    The infrastructure associated with the provision of energy e.g. power lines and pylons, can have a detrimental impact on the environment. Power lines are a hazard to birds perching or nesting on these lines and pylons, and quite regularly cause deaths of birds due to electrocution. The pylons and power lines also reduce the aesthetic value of the area they run through.

    The collection of biomass sources of energy (e.g. wood), can result in deforestation (see Chapter 9) and leads to the loss of thousands of man-hours each day, because 45% of Africans in non-urban areas who collect fuel-wood, travel further than a kilometre to fetch it. In addition, the burning of wood fuel for cooking and heating causes acute respiratory infections which are detrimental to the health of the population in the North West Province.

    7.6.6 Responses

    Environmental responses

    The biomass initiative, Trees for the People, launched by the Department of Minerals and Energy in 1992, has been taken over by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) for implementation throughout South Africa. DWAF promotes nurseries and entrepreneur-owned woodlots that are harvested at maturity for sale. Agenda 21 and other associated Conventions call on states and business to show their intent and to recognize that the health of the natural environment is basic to human welfare and prosperity. They must therefore define objectives and take actions, which reflect the dynamic balances between their country's natural resource base, development needs and economic capabilities.

    ESKOM has already adopted the use of Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) to provide operational guidance in the identification, measurement and management of environmental impacts. The effective implementation of EMPs will result in reduced financial expenditure and effective management of the environmental impacts. The implementation of effective contingency plans will allow appropriate, timeous action and minimise environmental damage should an incident occur. The White Paper on Energy Policy (1998) was prepared in order to clarify government policy regarding the supply and consumption of energy for at least the next ten years. This policy emphasises that energy production and distribution should not only be sustainable, but should also lead to an improvement in the standard of living of all South Africans. Five key policy objectives identified in the White Paper, constitute the foundation for South Africa's new energy policy: Alternative energy sources

    Research on alternative renewable sources of energy is being encouraged, as most of these resources will play an important role in the future, when the existing non-renewable resources become depleted. The increased use of these resources will benefit the environment greatly, since most of these energy sources do not have the same detrimental impact on the environment as the burning of coal and wood. The main alternative energy resources are: Socio-economic responses
    Providing rural households with electricity would to some extent diminish the direct impact of energy consumption on the environment. The national electrification programme aims at raising the current level of 60% of households supplied with electricity to 72% by the year 2000, in order to supply an estimated 1,75 million households with electricity. This will have a positive effect on the environment of the North West, particularly the air quality of urban and peri-urban areas, and indoor air quality of low-income households that formerly relied on coal burning for heating and cooking. The Rural Schools Electrification Programme is an RDP-initiated programme that is managed by the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME). The programme relies on donor funding from Holland, EU, etc. It is one of the successful RDP programmes, already providing electricity to schools in rural communities where there are often no other public services whatsoever.

    7.6.7 Outcomes


    The current drive of making electricity accessible to a large population in the province will have major benefits from an environmental perspective with regard to the reduction of gases released into the atmosphere. Electricity as a source of power carries an advantage for economic activities, and these will have spin-offs in terms of the much needed job creation in the province.

    7.6.8 Linkages

    This section is linked to:

    7.6.9 Data issues and indicators

    Data issues - Data on energy supply is available through agencies such as ESKOM. The databases developed by these agencies are able to provide guidance to strategic targets that the Province can set. Other sources of data and information include the South African National Energy Association (SANEA, 2000).

    Indicators - No specific indicators were used in this section of the report. Please refer to the section on environmental and sustainable development indicators for a set of proposed indicators for future monitoring and reporting.

    7.6.10 Conclusion and recommendations

    The production of energy can be seen as one of the fundamental activities that are required for the upliftment of previously disadvantaged communities, the alleviation of poverty, and providing access to basic necessities. However, the production process has to be controlled in a responsible manner, and must be tested regularly for compliance with existing legislation and sustainability principles.

    In the North West Province, opportunities exist for improving the general quality of life, especially among the African rural population. The environmental challenges facing the Province will be to achieve the goals of the RDP programme, without causing widespread degradation to the environment. This can only be achieved by applying sustainable methods of energy production, by regular monitoring of these processes and by applying better technological methods that utilise cleaner, cheaper and more efficient renewable energy resources.

    7.7 Tourism and Leisure

    7.7.1 Introduction

    Tourism is defined as "traveling and all associated activities undertaken for leisure, environmental, entertainment, health, cultural or business reasons" (A Tourism Masterplan for the North West Province of South Africa,1998).

    The vision for tourism development in the North West Province is that "tourism in the North West Province develops, thrives and grows in an enabling environment conducive to sustainable development, which improves the quality of life, contributes to the economic growth, and transforms the social landscape of the province".

    The North West Province, with its favourable geographical location close to the main hub of Gauteng as well as its eco-tourism potential and the mining industry is categorised as one of South Africa's most visited provinces. It is an attractive tourism destination because it is a relatively peaceful Province with no malaria threat, a sunny climate, wildlife, magnificent bird life and a diverse cultural and historical heritage. It is also centrally located in relation to the other recognised tourism destinations in southern Africa (e.g Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe).

    Key elements of tourism include: Through understanding the tourism landscape, tourists must be treated as consumers by, for example, encouraging them along routes that create maximum economic benefit. Although tourists choose their own routes of travel, their movement can be structured and controlled through the use of signage, information centers and verbal communication. Conversely, through this approach it is also possible to stop tourists visiting certain areas. This cannot be achieved overnight but should inform future tourism planning and development strategies adopted in the North West Province.

    7.7.2 Driving forces

    Location of the North West Province - the Province has a favourable geographical location close to the main hub of Gauteng. It is also centrally located in relation to the other recognised tourism destinations in southern Africa (e.g Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe).

    Natural environment - the Province is an attractive tourism destination because it is a relatively peaceful Province with no malaria threat, a sunny climate, wildlife, magnificent bird life and a diverse natural and cultural heritage. This enhances the Province's eco-tourism potential.

    Demographics and population growth - this plays a role in determining the tourism potential at specific locations in the Province. This influences employment opportunities for local people and the tourism development potential in areas where population growth is high, such as the eastern region of the Province (e.g. Rustenburg and Hartebeespoort).

    Industrialization and development - the level and potential industrialisation of a particular area plays a significant role in determining its tourism potential. For example, the scenic Hartebeespoort and Magaliesberg area is a popular tourism region, but competing industrial and residential development is also occurring in this region.

    Competition - the North West Province competes with the country's other provinces for the lucrative tourism industry, especially the international market. It has been noted that the province's share of the tourism market has declined considerably. This has been as a result of the awarding of gambling and casino licences to other provinces, something which used to be largely a domain of the former Republic of Bophuthatswana (largely located in North West Province) (North West Tourism Account, 2001). This situation has been accompanied by various factors such as lost business opportunities for those sectors servicing the tourism industry as well as the migration of businesses from the Province.

    7.7.3 Pressures

    The need for fundamental transformation and development of tourism is widely recognised in the Province. The emphasis on people also implies access to those economic opportunities that are provided to those people previously denied such opportunities. This scenario becomes more relevant with the inclusion of women, disabled people and the youth in the market. Tourism development that significantly contributes to the improvement of the quality of human life will have to embrace the economic, social and environmental components of sustainable development. Tourism development in the North West Province should, therefore, aim to improve the quality of human life by targeting the following three broad goals: Tourism planning and development in South Africa has been driven by a desire to spread benefits and open new areas to tourism. Through building upon existing tourism flows, understanding market characteristics and requirements, innovative product development and positioning, destinations across South Africa can begin to re-enforce, introduce, focus and/or direct movement. Investors will also be more able to make realistic decisions on where to focus product development.

    7.7.4 State

    Tourism trends

    International tourists - The increase in tourist arrivals in South Africa has a concomitant effect on the number of tourist arrivals in the North West Province. Between1995 to 1997 the figure grew from 345 597 to 388 155, a growth of about 12,3%. Growth however declined by almost 11.4% in 1998. Not withstanding this trend, expenditure per person per day continued to grow at an average rate of 12.6% from 1996 to 1999. In sharp contrast, total revenue generated between these years has virtually remained unchanged (Table 7.7.1).

    Table 7.7.1: Revenue generated from international visitor arrivals in the North West Province (Source: North West Province's Tourism Account as adapted from SATOUR, 2001).

    Year Total InternationalVisitor Arrivalsin the NWP % Growth ofVisitor Arrivals Length of stay(no. nights spent) Expenditure per PersonPer Day(in Rands) RevenueGenerated(in Billion Rands)
    1995 345 597
    1996 375 777 8,7 5,3 678 1,4
    1997 388 155 3,3 3,8 676 1,0
    1998 343 922 -11,4 4,4 851 1,3
    1999 343 915 0 4,3 954 954


    Although an average growth rate of 8,8% in international visitors was reported from 1995 to 1999 in South Africa, this was not reflected in the North West Province. Foreign visitors to South Africa prefer to experience game- or nature reserves (61%), historical sites (38%), museums/art galleries (34%), cultural villages (17%), adventure activities (15%), theatres or shows (14%), casino's (12%) and conferences (10%) (North West Province's Tourism Account as adapted from SATOUR, 2001). In 1999, the majority of foreign visitors to North West Province were still from the United Kingdom (24%), Europe (31%; including 9% from Germany), North America (11%) and the Far East (10%). Europe and the Far East continue to show significant growth while the number of visitors from Africa and North America had declined.

    Most foreign visitors to the North West Province are on holiday (46%) or on business (23%), whilst 18% are visiting friends or relatives. North West can compete at national level, according to the respondents the domestic Market Survey for the North West Province,2001. About 32% indicated that the Province was highly competitive and another 57% felt that the North West Province was relatively competitive. It is believed that the Province has a sound base upon which it can build to enhance its position. Foreign tourists visiting the North West Province in 1999 on average stayed for 5,2 days and by far preferred to stay at hotels (60%) and game lodges (18%). The greatest attraction was Sun City/Lost City which was visited by 78% of international tourists, followed by Pilanesberg National Park (51%). On average only 10,6% made use of bus tours, 8.3% used car rentals, 5.9% used public transport and 6% used conference facilities.

    Local tourists - The main reasons for local tourists to visit the North West Province are visiting friends and relatives, followed by leisure and business. Many travellers spend two weeks or less at their preferred destinations. Leisure and business travellers spend an average of two to four days per visit. Most respondents to the survey (52,5%) indicated that they would visit the Province again in the next twelve months and 36,6% indicated a strong likelihood. Only 6,8% of those that previously visited the Province was unlikely to visit the Province again. The reason given for not intending to return were mainly due to other preferred destinations (33,3%), a lack of information (30,8%) or a lack of preferred attractions (23,1%).

    December and January are the peak months for those visiting North West Province. However, results indicate a preference for KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape. Only 32% of travellers visited NWP during the traditional summer vacation period. Large untapped potential exists to entice travellers from Gauteng to the mild climate of the North West Province during the winter months.

    Tourism resources

    Existing infrastructure - The North West Province has the potential to provide attractive tourism and eco-tourism packages. There are over sixteen parks and nature and game reserves that boast the presence of the big five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino), diverse and prolific bird species population and heritage sites (see Chapter 11 and 12). The parks, game and nature reserves are characterised by hills and open plains at Pilanesberg with a 1 200 million year old extinct alkaline volcanic crater, one of only three in the world. Woodland and rich riverine forest at Borakalalo, the bird watcher's paradise at Barberspan, and the numerous hiking trails traversing the reserves presents pristine and scenic sites for tourism. Cultural villages, heritage sites, casino gambling, theme parks, water sports, hiking, horse back riding and the unique vegetation of the area present unique attractions for tourism. Despite being a land-locked province, it hosts scuba diving, gliding and sky diving events. The North West Parks and Tourism Board currently has about 713 tourism products on their tourism database. According to this database, 37% of existing tourism establishments occur in the Eastern Region, 31% in the Southern, 22% in the Central and 10% in the Western regions. The Eastern and the Southern regions cover less than a third of the land area, but currently host approximately two-thirds of the tourism activity. The western Bophirima Region covers almost half of the land area, but represents only 10% of the tourism facilities.

    The Province is accessible by air through Pilanesberg Airport and Mafikeng/Mmabatho International Airport, as well as several smaller airports such as Rustenburg and Klerksdorp. The runway at Pilanesberg airport has recently been extended and upgraded and negotiations are underway to provide the airport with international status. It has been agreed that the international status currently accorded to MIA will be transferred to Pilanesberg airport. Passenger rail services within the Province are limited. The Trans-Karoo between Cape Town and Pretoria travels via Potchefstroom and the Diamond Express via Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp. Both routes provide a daily service. There is a weekly service from Johannesburg to Mafikeng. Alternatively there is a train to Kimberley with a connecting service that departs daily to Mafikeng. There is also a tourist train between Johannesburg and Magaliesburg, although the potential is wholly untapped. Much work has been undertaken on tourism planning and development in the Province. The Eastern region dominates with regards to tourism infrastructure and scenic beauty. Although this can be seen as a strength, the situation has also led to polarization of development resulting in a limited spread of benefits across the Province.

    Specific tourism nodes and corridors - Anchor tourism nodes include Sun City/Pilanesberg complex, Magaliesburg, and Hartbeespoort. Madikwe is an important "missing link" along this corridor (Map 26). Despite its isolation, poor access and product development, the area has vast potential. Possible linkages include Botswana (e.g. Okavango Delta), Namibia via the Trans-Kalahari route and Victoria Falls. Recommended new nodes have been identified to increase the provincial product base, tourism capacity, and for spreading the benefits of tourism to new parts of the province, particularly to areas of severe poverty. They include: Currently the link between the Sun City/Pilanesberg complex and the Madikwe/Molatedi tourism node is weak, rendering it a medium-density corridor. This link is critically important, as it will create a stronger tourism spine with regional linkages. The establishment of the Madikwe Game Reserve serves as an excellent example of what can be achieved when government, private sector and the community work together. Government must build upon the success achieved and continue to champion development. Private sector interest is considerable and should be capitalised upon. Madikwe already attracts affluent markets with high yields. Plans to increase local participation are also underway. Only some of the many reservoirs in the Province are used for recreational purposes. The lack of sustainable water supplies for tourism development constrains the further development of recreational activities around many of these dams, particularly in the west and north. Fluctuating water levels caused by erratic rainfall and downstream irrigation requirements is a further limitation. Reservoirs with significant untapped potential include Hartbeespoort, Buffelspoort, Klipvoor, Bloemhof and Vaalkop. A proper assessment of the tourism potential of these dams is required as they often offer the best potential to cater for the demands of the local tourist.

    The economic centres of Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp mainly offer business-oriented tourism opportunities with a limited ability to attract tourists from beyond its immediate surroundings. Once again a realistic approach must be adopted. Although there are cultural and historical attractions in some areas (battlefields, mampoer tours etc.) they will only attract limited numbers of special interest tourists. Product development and linkages to anchor attractions will be important to enhance and strengthen overall provision.

    7.7.5 Impacts

    Impacts of the tourism sector can be positive or negative.
    Positive impacts include: Negative impacts include:

    7.7.6 Responses

    In response to the constitutional obligation, the North West Province has established the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and subsequently amalgamated the existing structures and boards for parks, conservation and tourism into a single Government Supported Institution, the North West Parks and Tourism Board, which forms the tourism management structure.
    Several important policy documents and resolutions constitute current tourism policy in South Africa, including: Regulatory policies have been formed to: A deliberate management effort will be required to ensure that tourism contributes to economic growth, provide equitable access to the benefits of tourism and utilises tourism resources on a sustainable basis. The support for community empowerment through tourism should be one of the highest priorities of the provincial government.

    7.7.7 Outcomes

    The established high-income and foreign tourism market gives rise to at least three paradoxes: Tourism information development centres have been constructed at Rustenburg, Potchefstroom, and Mafikeng which promote tourism in the Province and provide information to tourists.

    7.7.8 Linkages

    This section is linked to:

    7.7.9 Data issues and indicators

    Data issues - A Tourism Database, which is used for tourism management and decision-making, was created by the NWP&TB in 1998. Tourism information development centres provide a promotional service to the tourism industry and an information service to the tourists.

    The Tourism Masterplan for the North West Province of South Africa, produced in 1998, mentions the actions required to implement the requirements of Environmental Legislation (National and International), and which areas need to be researched further. All the collected data will be incorporated into the current Tourism Database.

    Indicators - Indicators for this section can be linked to the set used in the previous South African SoER (DEAT 1999a). It should be noted that the current DEAT indicator initiative, is reviewing these indicators to ensure that the economy-environment link is highlighted. The following indicators are inserted as guidelines: Please refer to the section on environmental and sustainable development indicators for a set of proposed indicators for future monitoring and reporting.

    7.7.10 Conclusion and recommendations

    The tourism sector is well suited to lead economic development in emerging economies. South Africa is regarded as one of the most promising destinations in Africa. Tourism is increasingly being recognised as a lead sector to improve the quality of life of every South African. Tourism can preserve, strengthen and build natural environments, as well as promote cultural heritage and community development, provided that Agenda 21 sustainable development principles are followed. In the North West Province, where there is a recognised need for economic diversification, tourism can provide valuable opportunities for economic growth. The need for fundamental transformation and development of tourism is widely recognised in the North West Province. A concerted effort to restructure public sector entities, to improve the capacity of the tourism management system is underway. The implication of this is that there is a further need to mobilise role players to deal with critical tourism issues, whether it be marketing of the Province as a destination and linking it with other recognised regional attractions, establishing a tourism culture or mobilising resources for tourism development. If the North West Province is to play a pivotal role in tourism in South Africa, it must compete successfully for domestic and international tourism. Key considerations and opportunities for the Province include: The Province needs to capitalise on its location, the international recognition of some of its tourist destinations and other potential attractions to improve its market share. The Province should be able to utilise its full tourism potential considering its proximity to Gauteng, its rich diversity of attractions and its undeveloped natural potential. A major priority is the need for improved road infrastructure in those areas that remain untapped. Through focus on anchor attractions, existing product strengths can be enhanced and can restructure future tourism flows into growth areas, thereby opening investment opportunities. There is now a requirement to build upon successes achieved, create stronger linkages with other destinations (Cape Town, Kruger Park, Durban, Victoria Falls, Okavango, Namibia etc.) and to start to convert day visitors into overnight stays and the latter into longer-stays.

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