Final Adopted IDP - KZN Development Planning

ensure cost-effectiveness. The depiction of the slope analysis within the Municipality
on Plan 4 in Annexure C attached to this IDP review document indicates that the slope
variants are evenly distributed throughout the municipal area, with most settlements
located within the more evenly sloped areas.
Precipitation
The Ulundi Municipality has a mixture of two “precipitation sectors” linked to the
varying topography within the municipal area. The two sectors receive average rainfall
of between 722mm to 826 mm per annum, and 827 mm to 912 mm per annum,
respectively. Selected pockets within the Municipality have a higher average rainfall of
between 1012mm and 1251mm per annum. Precipitation within the Municipality is
depicted on Map 4 included in Annexure C attached to this IDP review document.
Water Bodies and Catchment Areas
Catchments are the areas of land where rainwater drains downhill into a body of water,
such as a river, lake or dam. The drainage basin includes both the streams and rivers
that convey the water as well as the land surfaces from which water drains into those
channels, and is separated from adjacent basins by a catchment divide. Ecological
aspects need to be taken into account when considering catchment areas. Water that is
accumulated within the catchment areas flows to water bodies such as rivers and dams
which are ultimately utilised to provide potable water for household purposes.
Subsequently it is necessary to consider the possible impacts from specific land uses
(settlements and agriculture) on the quality of water. This will provide an indication, for
example, as to where sanitation services are required to prevent the contamination of
water sources by cholera. In cases where large scale agricultural activity can have a
negative impact on the quality of water it is necessary to limit the use of pesticides.
The spatial development framework of the Municipality is the instrument that needs to
ensure that no land use is proposed in an area where the specific land use can have
detrimental effects on the environment, and the environmental services provided. The
presence of a large number of rivers and high volumes of water also implies that the
safety of communities must be considered by locating them outside possible flood areas.
River Eco-System Status
The river eco-system status has been determined by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in
conjunction with a programme called the River Health Programme of South Africa.
Based on the assessment of the condition of biological communities in and around rivers
this programme provides an integrated measure of the health of river systems. All of
the rivers in the Ulundi municipal area are classified as vulnerable, which indicates that
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