New EIA Malelane Lodge

[H. erectus]

Heh he,...thanks Dup,....no need to go roll over the
edge 'o balcony,...'k steek 'n dop,...vir d'jou gesondheid!!!!

[Bushcraft]

Great post H.e

And thanks

[Flutterby]

Very nice H.e!!

Don't you want to post that on the Africa Wild FB page?

[Lisbeth]

Luxury hotel off the cards for Kruger

Cape Town – Plans for the construction of a luxury safari resort in the Kruger National Park’s Malelane rest camp are off the cards for now, the department of environmental affairs announced on Monday.

According to a Beeld report the Radisson Blue Safari Resort missed the cut off date for a final application to construct a hotel at the confluence of the Crocodile and Timfene rivers.

Oxpeckers.org reports that the hotel would have been managed by the Rezidor Hotel Group in partnership with the local company, Mvelaphanda Holdings.

The 120-room hotel was originally supposed to open its doors to the public in 2013, but opposition from environmental groups and delays with compiling an environmental impact study prevented this.

According to a notice released by the department of environmental affairs the final Environmental Impact report should have been submitted by 15 August.

As no report was submitted, the application lapsed.

This news comes as a great relief to conservationists and lovers of the park’s unique atmosphere.

Also see: Revamped Skukuza Airport open for business

One group in particular has been instrumental in the fight against the development.

Going by the name AIKONA! (Against Interference in Kruger and our Other Nature Assets), the group cited the fact that there had been sufficient public consultations and that there were no survey results showing that there was a gap in the market for luxury hotels in Kruger.

“There is no survey available that indicates that there is a need for hotels in the KNP, if people want to build hotels and create jobs and distribute wealth this can be done much better by having the hotels outside the perimeter of the KNP, accessible to the general public and not restricted to persons in the KNP,” the group’s convenor, Gerhard Smit said in a statement in September 2012.

A Facebook page dedicated to the cause, called ‘Against Hotel Development in Kruger Park’ welcomed the news, stating: “There will be no Malelane Safari Lodge for a long time - if ever!!”

“Congratulations and very big thanks to Gerhard Smit and everyone at AIKONA who worked so hard, for so long, to save Kruger from hotel developments,” it continued.

According to the department of environmental affairs, the hotel group will have to start their application process from scratch, should they still be interested in the development.

What are your thoughts – would a luxury hotel spoil Kruger’s atmosphere or would it be an asset to the park? Tell us in the comment section below or send us a mail to info@traveller24.co.za

http://traveller24.news24.com/News/Luxu ... s-20140909

[Richprins]

Now here's the thing...

Over the years SANParks have repeatedly stated that the Malelane Hotel was going ahead, no problem...

As recently as early March, Mr Mabasa said on earthwatch, E-news, that

Malelane definitely going ahead, the accommodation offered will fill a gap between the campsites and chalets currently on offer, and the luxurious Concessions.

The focus has now come back to the emerging black market, whom Glen Phillips says want the "comforts of the city"...


viewtopic.php?f=297&t=235&start=620


From SP's 2012-13 report:


Malelane Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park – Significant progress
was made with the Environmental Impact Assessment, with the draft
Amended Scoping Report distributed for comments. It is anticipated
that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be concluded by
July 2013 where-after construction will commence;



http://www.sanparks.org/assets/docs/gen ... t-2013.pdf





And so on and so forth...

How could they blatantly lie so much, and what else are they lying about?

Once again, this is SP top Brass, not the people on the ground, the vast majority of whom are doing their best!

[H. erectus]

Had a pleasant conversation with Derrick today. He seemed
relieved yet happy about all the press releases and so forth,...
The press phoning, Sanparks phoning developer phoning and
many other would be affected parties and interested folk out
there,...

For some time now it became quite obvious that the Malelane
Safari Lodge initiative just kicked of on the wrong footing,..
Hence it was decided not to submit a EIA report,..........
Too many factors prompted this decision and indeed as some
press reports it was decided to let this one flounder,...

Factors influencing this decision would be legislation, footprint,
finance, logistics and a host of other minor issues all influencing
a proper study and evaluation of a Impact assessment based on
integrity. Therefore it was decided to let it slip!!

I may mention some issues,.....

* Powerlines in support of this venture no longer too cross above
the riverbed.
*The intended site has become unfavourable and access thereto,..
* Legislation has changed and the would be EIA process would have
been based on legislation dating to 2006,...
* Also that from the outset IAP'S where not properly informed as too
the credibility of this whole process.
* Footprint has changed and down scaled, no longer brick and mortar,
rather ripstop canvas and tenting envisioned,.
+ No longer a 250 bed accomodation venue but rather scaled down to
200,...and so forth and so on,...

The Sanparks innitiative has not died!!! We may bare in mind that
.gov has placed a fee on all new submissions and changes thereof,..
to the tune of R10,000.00 each time. With all due respect,.........
in a country filled with constant change to suite,...

At the end of all this, the process has merely just begun,.. Heh,..

[Toko]

Today the new EIA application for the Malelane Lodge was launched:


NOTICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS
BASIC ASSESSMENT APPLICATION

Notice is given in terms of section 24(5) read with section 44 of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) of intent to carry out the following activity:
PROPOSED SAFARI LODGE NEAR MALELANE GATE, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
DEA REFERENCE: 14/12/16/3/3/1/1280
3 October 2014
Proponent: Malelane Safari Lodge Investment (Pty) Ltd
Project Location: Malelane Region of the Kruger National Park
Listed Activities in terms of the Notice GN R544 & R546 (18 June 2010):
GN R544, June 2010: 9 (i) & (ii), 10 (i), 11 (iii), (vi), (x) & (xi), 18 (i), 23 (ii), 24, 37 (b).
GN R546, June 2010: 2 (ii), 3 (a) & (b) (ii) (aa), 4 (a) (ii) (aa), 6 (a) (ii) (aa), 10 (a) (ii) (aa), 13 (c) (ii) (aa), 14 (a) (i), 16 (iii) &(iv): (a)
(ii) (aa), 18 (a) (ii) (aa), 19 (a) (ii) (aa) & (ii), 24 (c)& (d): (a) (ii) (aa).

Application:
For the development of a 240 bed Safari Lodge, with a four star rating, in the Malelane Region of the Kruger National Park. The lodge will include a main lodge, tented accommodation units, pool area, restaurant, conference venue, family centre, wellness centre/spa, curio shop, riverside meander, river footbridge, catering deck, support services and infrastructure. A Park and Ride facility will be developed at Malelane Gate as a partnership between the proposed Safari Lodge and Kruger National Park.
Five site alternatives are under consideration within the study area, which extends from the Malelane Gate in the south, along the west bank of the Crocodile River, up to the confluence of the Timfeneni River in the north.

To register as an Interested and Affected Party for this process, provide your name, contact details, and the nature of your interest in the project to the person below by no later than Friday 7 November 2014

AN OPEN DAY WILL BE HELD AT SANPARKS IN PRETORIA ON 18 OCTOBER 2014 AND AT MALELANE GATE ON 25 OCTOBER FROM 10AM TO 3PM.
THE PROJECT CONSULTANT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BASIC ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND THE PROPOSED PROJECT

For more information, please contact Dereck Milburn
PostNet Suite 168, Private Bag X 844, Silverton, 0184
Tel: 012 753 5792
Fax: 086 571 6292
Email: dereck@nuleafsa.co.za

[Toko]

Proposed Safari Lodge near Malelane Gate, Kruger National Park
DEA Reference Number: 14/12/16/3/3/1/1280
BACKGROUND INFORMATION DOCUMENT
October 2014

PROPERTY & PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Malelane Safari Resort Investment (Pty) Ltd is proposing the development of a 240 bed Safari Lodge with a four star rating in the Malelane Region of the Kruger National Park. The main activities to be provided by the safari lodge include the following:
• Accommodation in tented units;
• Main lodge with pool area;
• Restaurant;
• Conference venue;
• Family Centre;
• Wellness Centre / Spa;
• Curio shop;
• Riverside meander, river footbridge and catering deck;

Support services and infrastructure will include the following:

• Potable water supply and purification (abstracted from boreholes @ approximately 36 cubic meters per day);
• Water storage (approximately 350 000 litre off stream reservoir).
• Power supply (off-grid generation via a hybrid system including 300kW solar PV with battery storage and 400kW diesel powered back-up generators);
• Sewage treatment (centralised on site facility with a capacity of 50 000 litres per 24 hours);
• Refuse collection, recycling and off-site disposal;
• On-site storm water management;
• On-site roads and pathways (footpaths and golf cart routes)
• The realignment of approximately 3km of the S114 road (which currently runs through the proposed site) and the rehabilitation of the redundant section of road;
• A new access road to the lodge and service area;
• Laundry, offices, stores and staff facility;
• Vehicle wash bay;
• Irrigation (via purified effluent);
• Communications and data.

In addition to the above, the application incudes the development of a ‘Park and Ride’ facility at the Malelane Gate (south west of the existing staff housing). This will be developed as a partnership between the proposed Safari Lodge and Kruger National Park.
• Components of the facility include an electric fence and gate, offices, reception, vehicle wash bay, ablutions, a kiosk, a waiting area, an outdoor rest area and parking
areas.
• Eskom power, potable water and sewage treatment will be linked to the existing systems at the Malelane Gate staff village. These services will need to be upgraded.
• Sewage will be linked to the current system at Malelane Gate
• Storm water Management will be site specific.

Five site alternatives are under consideration, and are all located within the ‘PeripheralDevelopment Zone’, as per the Kruger National Park’s Conservation Development
Framework (CDF), The Peripheral Development Zone (PDZ) has a width of of 2km from the Kruger National Park (KNP) boundary in this area. This zoning was approved by the Minister of Environmental Affairs in 2013 and allows for the development of tourist accommodation facilities of up to 240 beds.

The study area (including all site alternatives) lies within the Kruger National Park and is thus under the jurisdiction of the South African National Parks (SANParks). The study area extends from the Malelane Gate in the south, along the west bank of the Crocodile River, up to the confluence of the Timfeneni River in the north.

Land uses on the eastern bank of the Crocodile River (i.e. beyond the boundary of theKruger National Park) include the Leopard Creek Golf Estate, the Pestana Kuger Lodge, irrigated croplands and scattered urban settlements. Refer to attached locality map.

[trailrunner]

I think that it is vital that we register as an interested and affected party to the Assessment Process.
I notice that H.e has been involved with various aspects of the process up until now and would nominate him as our representative, if he is willing and available.

It would be useful to get a representative to attend the open day as well, if not just to ask the pertinent questions but to see who else there is who have any form of resistance to the project. It may be possible to collect allies to the cause to form a united front in increasing the volume of our protest.

[Toko]

I think that it is vital that we register as an interested and affected party to the Assessment Process.

Absolutely, please everybody register! It is important that many persons enter their registration as IAP. You can savely do so, the more the merrier!