Guiding future development
STORY: Ronelle Ramsamy

MetroGis Director - Dawie van Vuuren addresses a focus group workshop in the City of uMhlathuze on Thursday as part of the public participation process towards the formation of an Environmental Management Framework for the Richards Bay Port and IDZ

The City of uMhlathuze will be equipped with a new proactive environmental management decision-making tool next year to help guide environmental decisions about future developments. This as the City, in conjunction with the KZN Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development, recently received the green light for the formation of an Environmental Management Framework (EMF) for the Richards Bay Port and Industrial Development Zone (IDZ). With the City constantly facing sensitive environmental and development pressures, it is hoped the EMF will act as a support mechanism to inform and guide decision makers and town planners.

‘The EMF is an instrument for collecting existing information of an area.
‘The purpose of the current workshops will be to explore the state of the environment desired by the people who live and work in Richards Bay,’ said Rod Bulman of Phelamanga Projects. ‘On Wednesday we met with the Dube Tribal Authority to obtain vital information from the local communities. ‘We are trying to put together the EMF in a user-friendly format, which will be accessible to as many people as possible.’

Opportunities
Bulman said the EMF would identify potential environmental risks, opportunities for development and sensitive areas that require special attention. ‘Many people regard environmental consultants as people who want to stop development. ‘But the EMF will provide a platform on which decisions can be made. ‘The City will now be able to assess future EIA applications more clearly. ‘It is hoped the EMF can show that in certain areas in Richards Bay, it is certainly unnecessary to do another EIA and there may be areas where an EIA must be conducted,’ added Bulman.

Director of MetroGis, Dawie van Vuuren, said the Status Quo Report would be released by the end of the month, while the EMF would be finalised by March next year. ‘EMFs cannot be a blueprint for development, but can highlight the consequences of a potential development. ‘The City of uMhlathuze has been planned well with lots of open vegetated spaces.
‘It is a pretty picture even though there is a huge industrial area. We want to preserve some of that character. ‘The Port of Richards Bay is also a strategic asset of importance for South Africa at large.’

this article on zululandobserver.co.za: http://www.zululandobserver.co.za/Pages/m43story5.html