Sibanye Gold (Pty) Ltd (Sibanye Gold), a private subsidiary of Sibanye-Stillwater Ltd, was granted an environmental authorisation (EA) to develop 132 kiloVolt (kV) overhead transmission lines (ref no. 14/12/16/3/3/1/1606) for the 200-Megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) energy facility (ref no. 14/12/16/3/3/2/919) for Sibanye PV (Pty) Ltd (henceforth Sibanye) on 10 January 2017. Condition 16 of the Environmental Authorisation (EA) issued on the 10th of January 2017 required the Applicant to amend the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) which was compiled as part of the Basic Assessment (BA) process to include updated layout plans and the conditions contained in the EA. This EMPr has been compiled to satisfy a requirement under the initial 2017 EA issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE). The 2017 EA also requires the draft EMPr to be made available to Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) for public comment for a period of 30 days and to be submitted to DFFE for approval.

Since 2017, the Competent Authority (CA) has changed from the DFFE to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (GDARDE); however, this Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) will be assessed and reviewed by the DFFE as it is compiled to satisfy a requirement under the initial 2017 EA issued by the DFFE. This EA would have expired on 09 January 2022, but the GDARDE granted an extension of its validity by non-substantive amendments under Part 1 (Regulations 29 and 30) of Chapter 5 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (Government Notice no. 982 of 2014) with reference number Gaut 006/21-22/E0088. Additionally, the holder of the authorisation was amended to reflect the details of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) company Sibanye Solar PV (Pty) Ltd that will construct the transmission lines and ancillary infrastructure.

Zutari (Pty) Ltd has been appointed as the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to undertake this process according to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations of 2014.

LOCATION

The proposed 132 Kilovolt (kV) overhead transmission lines for the proposed 200 Megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) energy facility for Sibanye is situated close to Sibanye Gold’s Driefontein and Kloof mining operations near Westonaria, Gauteng.

The 132 kV Powerline crosses over three roads, namely the R501 in its northern extent (just before connecting to the Phase 1 PV Facility), the N12 in its central extent, and a small unnamed road to the Sibanye Gold training academy in its southern extent. The 132 kV Powerline crosses over both agricultural fields as well as large stretches of open veld and a ridge.

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE:

The updated draft EMPr compiled in terms of the NEMA and the AIA Regulations (Governement Notice (GN) No 962 of 2014) is available for comments for a period of thirty (30) days starting Friday, 10 February 2023 to Monday, 13 March 2023.

For more information, please contact us via email, post or phone on the details below:

• Email: PPP@zutari.com
• Phone: +27 12 427 2072
• Post: PO Box 74381, Lynnwood Ridge, Pretoria, 0040

Public comment period: 10 February 2023 – 13 March 2023