FEIR for Boitshepi Landfill Site .pdf - Zitholele.co.za

62August 2010 8848SensitivitiesSensitive features such as the wetland was assessed by walking randomly through the areaconcerned an identifying all species within the area. A detailed ecological assessment(Terrestrial Ecology Assessment has been undertaken on site). Please refer toAppendix C1 for the Biophysical Report.7.2 Cultural Environment7.2.1 Cultural and Historical FeaturesMethodology and Data SourcesThe Phase I Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) study was conducted to determine thebaseline conditions of the cultural and heritage resources by means of the followingactivities:• Surveying the project area, focusing on sensitive areas which were thoroughly surveyedon foot.• Briefly reviewing literature relating to the pre-historical and historical context of theproject area.• Consulting maps of the project area as well as of peripheral areas adjoining the projectarea.• Consulting archaeological (heritage) data bases, such as the ones kept at the GautengProvincial Heritage Resources Agency as well as at Museum Africa in Pretoria(Tshwane).• Synthesising all information obtained from the literature review, maps and data baseswith the evidence derived from the fieldwork.Regional DescriptionAccording to archaeological research, the earliest ancestors of modern humans emergedsome two to three million years ago. The remains of Australopithecine and Homo habilishave been found in dolomite caves and underground dwellings in the Bankeveld at placessuch as Sterkfontein and Swartkrans near Krugersdorp. Homo habilis, one of the EarlyStone Age hominids, is associated with Oldowan artefacts, which include crude implementsmanufactured from large pebbles.The Acheulian industrial complex replaced the Oldowan industrial complex during the EarlyStone Age. This phase of human existence was widely distributed across South Africa and isassociated with Homo Erectus, who manufactured hand axes and cleavers from as early asone and a half million years ago. Oldowan and Acheulian artefacts were also found four toZITHOLELE CONSULTING