9. STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
9.5 Implementation, monitoring and evaluation
Table 16. Legislation, policies and strategies which inform development guidelines in DLM.
Legislation/policy /strategy Level
National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), 1998 (Act No 107 of 1998) National Environmental Conservation Act (Act No 73 of 1989) National National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act No 57 of
2003)
National
National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No 10 of 2004) National National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004) National EIA Regulations in terms of NEMA (July 2006, GN385,386,387 published in
Government Gazette on 21 April 2006)
National
Mountain Catchment Areas Act, 1970 (Act No. 63 of 1970) National
National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998) National
Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No. 43 of 1983) National Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002) National
Mines and Works Act (1956) Act no. 17 of 1956 National
National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 25 of 1999), and provincial regulations
National
Physical Planning Act, 1967 (Act No. 88 of 1967) National
South African National Standard (SANS) 10103 (Noise) National South African National Standard (SANS) 10210 (SABS 0210) (Noise) National South African National Standard (SANS) 10329 (SABS 0328) (Noise) National Revised Free State Growth and Development Strategy (FSGDS 2007-2014) Provincial Free State Growth and Development Strategy (FSGDS 2005-2014) Provincial Free State Tourism Authority Act, 2005 (Act No. 3 of 2005) Provincial Nature conservation Ordinance 8 of 1969, assigned to Free State Province with
effect from 17 June 1994 under Proclamation 113 of 1994, published in government Gazette 15813
Provincial
Free State Provincial Government Department of Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affairs Strategic Plan (current)
Provincial
Dihlabeng Local Municipality IDP (2009/2010) Municipal
Dihlabeng Local Municipality SDF (2008/2009) Municipal
Dihlabeng Local Municipality Proposed New Town Planning Scheme Municipal Dihlabeng Local Municipality Information Document: Rezoning Municipal
Bethlehem Town Planning Scheme Municipal
state of environment relative to the management objectives is required. Such a system would be underpinned by appropriate indicators. A monitoring and evaluation system would help the DLM and different stakeholders keep track of changes in the state of environment. This would ensure that appropriate corrective action can be taken in a timely way. A framework for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the management guidelines in DLM is presented in Table 17.
Table 17. Framework for implementation of management guidelines and monitoring and evaluation of the state of environment in DLM
Management zone
Environmental Management Objective
Responsibility for
implementation of management guidelines
Indicators Monitoring Evaluation
Ecological Biodiversity protection and enhancement
(1) Dihlabeng Local
municipality (2) Private land owners
Red data species of flora and fauna
Conduct counts of identified red data flora and fauna in specific marked areas twice a year
Compare counts at each monitoring period with previous counts to establish trends.
Target is to get an increase in Red data flora and fauna over time Enhancement of
conservation status of area
(1) Dihlabeng Local
Municipality (2) Private land owners
Species of endangered grassland flora
Conduct counts and assess health of identified species of endangered grassland flora in fixed sample plots twice a year
Compare counts and health of species at each monitoring period with previous measurements.
Aim to increase numbers and health of endangered species
Maintenance of ecosystem functions and services
(1) Dihlabeng Local
Municipality (2) Individual land owners
Water quality in rivers/dams
in the
ecological zone
Measure water quality
parameters quarterly
Compare
parameters at each evaluation with parameters at previous
evaluations and establish trend. Aim to improve water quality parameters over time
Agricultural Maintenance of different
agricultural land uses
(1) Dihlabeng Local
Municipality (2) Farmers
Area in
hectares under different agricultural uses
Tally of hectares under different agricultural uses once every year
Compare hectares at each tally with previous periods to establish trends.
Aim is to arrest a consistent
reduction in land under agricultural use
Having small scale agricultural land in the vicinity of high density
residential areas
(1) Dihlabeng Local
Municipality
(2) Local
councillors
Area in
hectares under small scale
agriculture in each town
Tally of hectares under small scale agriculture once every year
Compare hectares at each tally with previous periods to establish trends.
Aim is to maintain or increase area
agriculture Maintenance of
environmental integrity in areas under
agricultural land use
Dihlabeng local municipality Farmers
Ground water quality Soil quality Soil erosion
Measure soil and water quality parameters at designated sampling points twice a year
Compare
parameters at each sampling with parameters at previous samplings and establish trends. Aim for a consistent
improvement in parameters
Urban Maintaining environmental integrity through:
Maintenance of open spaces;
Protection of ecologically sensitive areas
such as
wetlands and riparian areas.
(1) Dihlabeng Local
Municipality (2) Developers (3) Residents
NEMA
provisions for different developments and
operations.
Environmental Management Plans for different operations
Assess
compliance of developments or operations with NEMA provisions and
Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) where present on an annual basis or as per EMPs
Determine changes in compliance rates over time. Aim for a consistent increase in compliance
Mining Confining mining activities to designated areas in order to contain the environmental and health impacts of mining;
Maintaining environmental integrity.
(1) Dihlabeng Local
Municipality (2) Mining companies
Mining activities and their location Environmental impacts of each mining activity
Tally of mining activities, their location and environmental impacts as stated in EIA documents Monitor
adherence to EMPs where applicable
Assess compliance
with NEMA
provisions and adherence to EMPs over time. Aim for an increase in compliance and adherence over time
Tourism Maintaining integrity of the environment while deriving social and economic benefits
(1) Dihlabeng Local
municipality (2) Tourism operators
Record of each licensed tourism operation and its nature and anticipated environmental impacts
For each
development monitor factors likely to impact on ecological and conservation integrity as stated in EIA documents;
Monitor
compliance with NEMA
regulations.
Over time establish trend in terms of compliance with NEMA/EIA
regulations. Aim for increasing
compliance over time
N5 transport corridor
Providing transport infrastructure while
maintaining integrity of the environment
Dihlabeng Local Municipality
NEMA
provisions for different developments and
operations;
Environmental Management Plans for different operations
Assess
compliance of developments or operations with NEMA provisions and EMPs where present on an annual basis or as per EMPs
Determine
changes in
compliance rates over time. Aim for a consistent increase in compliance
Expansion zone
Providing mix of land uses for
Dihlabeng Local Municipality
NEMA
provisions for
Assess
compliance of
Determine
changes in
social and
economic benefit while
maintaining integrity of the environment
different developments and
operations;
Environmental Management Plans for different operations.
developments or operations with NEMA provisions and EMPs where present on an annual basis or as per EMPs
compliance rates over time. Aim for a consistent increase in compliance