2013_14 IDP Review.pdf - KZN Development Planning

Element Opportunities Challengesharvesting or general loss oftrees, which might be due tosettlement and landmanagement practices• Alien plants • High invasions along riversthroughout the areas• Degradedland• Soil loss• Sedimentdeliverypotential• High levels degraded land inNqutu and Msinga Wide spread occurrence ofdongas Very low in the Greytownarea Very low in the Greytownarea excluding the southeastern part of Umvoti Very high in Nqutu Very high between TugelaFerry and Keate’s Drift Very high throughout themunicipal area Creates problems with damsand weirs in rivers due tohigh siltingOf all the environmental factors assessed, slope is the environmentalfactor that has the greatest impact on development. Slope relates togeology and soil types and is a function of climate and rainfall. Slopeplaces direct limitations on development. Slopes steeper than 1:8 or12.5% is regarded as not suitable for human settlement. It restrictssettlement and accessibility in general and makes the provision of serviceinfrastructure very costly. Disturbing these slops for whatever purposeleads to environmental degradation. This is especially true in an area verysusceptible to soil erosion.Map 32: Slope as a form-giving elementThe next map shows areas with a slope steeper than 12.5% in terms ofthe settlement focus areas identified earlier. The numbers refer to thesettlement focus areas dealt with earlier.Draft 2013/14 IDP Review Page 203Prepared by Umzinyathi District Municipality22 March 2013