Abstract
MSc. (Geography)
The South African National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998)
[NEMA] provides the 2010 EIA Regulations that describe the minimum requirements
for environmental impact assessment (EIA). EIA is used as a tool to aid decisionmaking
when evaluating development proposals for activities that are likely to have
negative environmental impacts. Government Notice GNR. 543 of the 2010 EIA
Regulations provides all the information pertaining to EIA and the specific steps
required to conduct a Basic Assessment (BA). The study primarily focuses on activities conducted within or near Protected Areas (PAs) that do not require a full scoping EIA, and is comprised of two parts. Firstly, using a modified version of the South African adapted Lee and Colley (1992) Review Package, this dissertation presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of 13 Basic Assessment Reports (BARs). Secondly, the study ascertained and analysed the opinions of those involved in the EIA process, namely environmental assessment practitioners (EAPs), on whether EIA is performing as originally intended. A questionnaire targeted at discerning respondents’ views on this was sent to eight individuals, of whom seven responded. The findings show that 92% of the BARs performed satisfactorily in terms of overall quality (achieving grades A to C, C being considered just satisfactory). Only 54% of the assessed BARs achieved A-B grades, leaving a high proportion of borderline BARs, a disturbing figure given the importance of PAs in South Africa for encouraging tourism, generating foreign currency and protecting biodiversity. Fifty seven percent (57%) of respondents expressed the view that legal provision for the EIA process in South Africa is adequate, that the 2010 Regulations have improved the EIA process, and that the EIA guidelines for environmental practitioners are
readily available and easy to use.