Nkomazi Local Municipality 20 - Co-operative Governance and ...

Songimvelo Nature Reserve borders Nkomazi to the south-west, where the R38 exits the municipality.7.3.3. Biodiversity AssetsThe 2007 Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan (MBCP) is a spatial plan that groups the province’s biodiversity assetsinto six conservation categories based on the measured distribution of hundreds of biodiversity and ecological featuresthroughout the province.The MBCP for Mpumalanga was superimposed on the municipal area. The categories and areas covered by each category areindicated in the table below. Refer to Chapter 7 for Land Use Guidelines for biodiversity conservation.Table 9__ Biodiversity assetsNr Category Area in NLM (ha)1 Protected areas – currently under formal biodiversity protection 140702 Irreplaceable areas – in urgent need of Protected Area status 171753 Highly Significant areas - requiring strict land use controls 114584 Important and Necessary areas – requiring special care 106925 Areas of Least Concern – providing sites for development 1558456 Areas with No Natural Habitat remaining – providing preferred sites for allforms of developmentSource: Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan114369Furthermore, the Barberton Bio-Diversity Corridor Initiative has identified Nkomazi to have good potential for consumptiveconservation, including game breeding and hunting.7.3.4. Natural EcologyThere are six Biomes in South Africa namely the Fynbos Biome, Ticket Biome, Forest Biome, Succulent Karoo Biome, GrassveldBiome and Savannah Biome. The municipality forms part of the Savannah Biome, which covers approximately 33% of the areaof South Africa. Generally, the Savannah Biome is characterised by a grassy ground layer and a distinct upper layer of woodyplants. Some sub-categories of the Savannah Biome form part of the municipality as follows (Source: DepartmentEnvironmental Affairs and Tourism 2009).Sweet Lowveld Bushveld - located from the eastern parts of the Kruger National Park, southwards through Swaziland andinto the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal. In terms of climate, rainfall varies from 550 to 600 mm per year, falling insummer. Temperatures range between -2ºC and 43ºC, with an average of 22ºC.Mixed Lowveld Bushveld - located on flat to undulating landscapes between 350 and 500m cutting across the municipalityfrom the north to the south. In terms of climate, the annual summer rainfall for the area varies from 450mm to 600mm.Temperatures vary between -4ºC and 45ºC, with an average of 22ºC.Lebombo Arid Mountain Bushveld – located on undulating rocky terrain on the eastern border of the Kruger NationalPark, extending through Swaziland into the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal. In terms of climate, the annual rainfallranges from 450mm to 700mm. Temperatures vary between -1ºC and 46ºC, with an average of 23ºC.Sour Lowveld Bushveld – located on the lower eastern slopes and foothills of the Drankensberg, from the Soutpansberg inLimpompo, through Mpumalanga and into Swaziland cutting across NLM. In terms of climate, the summer rainfall variesfrom 600mm to 1000mm per year. Temperatures range between 2ºC and 43ºC with an average of 22ºC.7.4. Demographic analysisThe demographic profile reflects the size, distribution, structure and socio-economic characteristics of the population of alocal municipality and how these population characteristics impact upon resources and sustainable community development.The population of any country or local municipality is changing, sometimes quite rapidly and recent data is required to planand evaluate programmes. The dilemma is that accurate and reliable population data is not always readily available. Globallythe most complete and reliable source of information on the population of countries and their geographic subdivisions is thecensus based on a house-to-house enumeration. In South Africa the Statistics SA Census 2001 and the Statistics SA CommunitySurvey 2007 are currently the only two official population data source used mainly for planning purposes. It is in thisbackground that the compilation of the Nkomazi Local Municipality’s IDP is based on these two official population data source.NKLM Integrated Development Plan 2012_2013 23