pprust - SRK Consulting

SRK Consulting 16Residential areas are zoned and most sites (stands) are fenced. Brick-and-mortar houses,most with outbuildings and pit latrines, are the norm. Community structures and committeesinclude the development forum, women’s league, pensioners’ association, taxi association,youth forums, policing forums, savings clubs and burial societies.Village headmen and ward councillors, respectively, represent the Mapela Tribal Authorityand the Mogalakwena Municipality at village level. Resettlement committees were recentlyestablished in both Ga-Puka and Ga-Sekhaolelo in anticipation of possible future relocation.3.5 Local Economic ActivityAll ‘registered’ households, reportedly, have access to arable land and communal grazing.Fields are used for subsistence farming, and crops planted include maize, sorghum, beansand watermelon. The majority of households also maintain a small maize plot or vegetablegarden, as well as fruit trees, on the residential site.Livestock farming remains an important local economic activity (cattle, goats and donkeys).The provincial Department of Agriculture used to provide extension services to these localfarmers, operating from a small office on the farm Overysel. However, this service has beendiscontinued some 6 months ago due to a shortage of staff. (A DWAF maintenance camp issituated adjacent to the agricultural office.)Unemployment appears to be high in the broader project area. In addition to employment atPPRust, those economically active are generally employed in and around Mokopane town,as migrant workers in the urban centres of Gauteng, or as farm labourers on surroundingcommercial farms. Apparently, significant numbers of potentially affected households relyon temporary work (or ‘piece jobs’), pensions and subsistence farming for survival. Loss oflocal productive assets and income sources would be devastating for these households.3.6 Cultural ResourcesLarge parts of Overysel and Zwartfontein farms, where the new open pits would be located,have been used for subsistence agriculture in the past and contain no heritage remains ofhigh significance. A number of dwellings with associated infrastructure (kraals, fields, etc.)were identified and could qualify as historical structures. Numerous graves and cemeteriesare located on the above two farms.BOENG:\347793 Mokgalekwena 2010\7Reports\Draft EIR\SRK website - electronic upload\Appendices\Appendix I3_Socio economicreport\PPRust SIA Final (Rev-1).doc June 2002