Question NW161 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
10 April 2018 - NW161
Paulsen, Mr N M to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
Has the SA National Roads Agency complied with the conditions in the environmental authorisations of the N2 Wild Coast toll road?
Reply:
In the process of the construction of the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road, the Departmental Environmental Management Inspectors conducted periodic site visits on the N2 Wild Coast Highway where it was found that the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has omitted to fulfil some of the conditions of the Environmental Authorisation. These non-compliances were further highlighted in the reports presented by the Environmental Control Officer (ECO) at the Environmental Management Committee’s quarterly (EMC) meeting. . The following are some of the conditions of the Environmental Authorisation that were not complied with by SANRAL:
a) Condition 6.2.11.1 which provides as follows:
The applicant must ensure that no construction camps, dumping or stockpile of construction material is allowed in or close to the wetlands and other watercourses.
SANRAL has contravened this condition in that construction material was found stockpiled near the wetland. The contravention was observed during the site visit by officials mentioned above and was also reported by the Environmental Control Officer (ECO) during the meeting of the Environmental Management Committee (EMC) held on the 14 February 2018.
b) Condition 6.2.12.3 which stipulates as follows:
All rare, endangered and endemic species and species of conservation value in the road reserve must be translocated, in close cooperation with South African National Biodiversity Institute (formerly National Botanical Gardens), to a suitable nursery with the aim to be re-establish them in a national botanical garden that was is to be created in Pondoland Centre of Endemism or a suitable existing conservation area.
SANRAL has removed the species en route to the Botanical garden. All the endemic species that have been removed alongside the hauling roads are currently kept in temporary holding areas.
c) Condition 6.2.7.1. SANRAL commenced with the construction without finalising the Biodiversity Offset Agreement resulting in the Biodiversity Offset Agreement being implemented after it was signed by all relevant parties.
We will continue to monitor all these conditions stated above including those of other departments in order to ensure continuous full compliance at every stage.
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