INFORMATION SHEET
BASIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
(SUMMARY OF REPORT)
THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING ILLOVU STEEL BRIDGE AND RECONSTRUCTION OF
A NEW RAILWAY BRIDGE WITHIN THE EXISTING RAILWAY SERVITUDE ON ERF 195
KINGSBURGH IN THE ETHEKWINI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY, KWAZULU-NATAL
(DFFE REFERENCE: 14/12/16/3/3/1/3045)
AUGUST 2024
INTRODUCTION
A Basic Assessment Report (BAR) has been compiled for the demolition of the existing Illovo Steel
Railway Bridge and the reconstruction of a new bridge located within the existing alignment and
railway servitude on Erf 195, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, Kwa-Zulu Natal. The proposal
includes the demolition of the existing steel truss bridge deck including the removal and safeguarding
of existing perway (that is, rail, sleepers, clips and pads). A new deck for the railway bridge including
the construction and reinstatement of associated perway is proposed. The Illovo Railway Bridge is
located within an existing railway servitude, Kingsburgh Erf 195, that crosses the iLovu Estuary at
the Lovu River mouth, approximately 32km south of Durban (30°06’44”S, 30°51’10”E), eThekwini
Metropolitan Municipality, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa..
PROJECT PROPOSAL
In greater detail, the project proposal entails the following:
The existing steel rail bridge deck will be demolished, and a new bridge will be constructed. A new
concrete rail bridge will replace the steel bridge and provide additional flood drainage capacity and
additional spans on the northern side. The additional bridge will span the existing washed away
section of the northern embankment. The existing steel bridge deck, 200m in length, will be
demolished due to the current materials and design not being able to guarantee structural integrity
for another 100 years. The new bridge will be 340m in length to ensure stability and endurance of
the new line crossing the estuary environment.
du Toit Environmental CC Registration number 2000/021877/23
t/a The Environmental Partnership
Member: Carmen du Toit MPhil (Stell) BA Hons Env&GeoSci (UCT) PriSciNat, EAPSA
ALTERNATIVES
For the Environmental Assessment Process, the bridge design options were considered, that would
make provision for future doubling of the rail line. These are the construction of a wider deck to
accommodate a future line, or a single rail line bridge with substructure to accommodate a future
replica parallel bridge to accommodate a second rail line.
Alternative 1
Alternative Design 1Concept 1 Prestressed Box Girder
The proposed structure for Concept 1 is shown on the Preliminary General Arrangement Drawings
appended to this report (see Appendix B). This concept is an in-situ post-tensioned prestressed
concrete box girder deck erected by the staged construction method and the deck supported on new
non-integral (i.e. with bearings) coffin shaped wall type piers and non-integral closed cantilever
abutment (i.e. with bearings/expansion joints) with return walls. A closed cantilever abutment with
return walls founded on auger piles socketed into rock is proposed for the new northern abutment
with this design. The existing piers including the northern abutment will not be utilised in view of the
Geotechnical investigation findings, instead new piers will be introduced.
Alternative 2
Preferred Alternative Design Concept 4 Precast Beams
Concept 4 proposed layout is shown on the Preliminary General Arrangement Drawings appended
to this report (see Appendix B). This concept is a prestressed precast concrete M10 beams and in-
situ concrete deck slab. A closed cantilever abutment with return walls founded on auger piles
socketed into rock for the new northern abutment has been proposed. The existing piers including
the northern abutment will not be utilised in view of the Geotechnical investigation findings, instead
new piers will be introduced.
Precast Beam design will replace the four existing concrete piers with 13 new piers. While there is
an increase in the number of piers, the hydrological modeling shows reduced flow around the
bridge under the 200-year flood maximum velocities, which will reduce the risk of flooding in these
conditions and of the bridge washing away in future.
LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS
The 2014 NEMA Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations of 2014, as amended, apply to the
proposed development and necessitate a Basic Assessment Process. The proposed development
includes activities listed in GN 983 and GN 985 of the 2014 EIA Regulations, as amended. These
are:
Listing Notice 1 (GNR 983 of 2014, as amended)
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Activity 19 A
The infilling or depositing of any material of more than 10 cubic metres into, or the dredging,
excavation, removal or moving of soil, sand, shells, shell grit, pebbles, or rock of more than 10 cubic
metres from a watercourse.
Activity 54
The expansion of facilities—
(ii) in an estuary;
(iii) within the littoral active zone;
(iv) in front of a development setback; or
(v) if no development setback exists, within a distance of 100 metres inland of the high-water
mark of the sea or an estuary, whichever is the greater;
in respect of—
(c) embankments;
(d) rock revetments or stabilising structures including stabilising walls; or
(e) infrastructure or structures where the development footprint is expanded by 50 square metres
or more,
Listing Notice 3 (GNR 985 of 2014, as amended)
Activity 23
The expansion of infrastructure or structures where the physical footprint is expanded by 10 square
metres or more.
The following legislation is also applicable to the proposed activity:
• The National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 25 of 1999)
• The National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998) – a copy of the proof of commencement
of application for a Wate Use Authorisation for Section 21 (c) and (i) activities is attached as
• Environment Conservation Act,1989 (Act No. 73 of 1989)
• Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No. 43 of 1983)
• National Forests Act, 1998 (Act No. 84 of 1998)
• National Veld and Forest Fire Act,1998 (Act No.101 of 1998)
• Hazardous Substances Act, 1973 (Act No. 15 of 1973)
• Occupational Health and safety Act, 1993 (Act No.85 of 1993)
• National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No 93 of 1996)
• Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000)
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IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL IMPACTS
The tables below provide a summary of the identified potential impacts in the BAR before and after mitigation. The first table shows the impacts assessed for
the development in its entirety (to go ahead with the project) and the No-Go Alternative (to not go ahead with the project). These are the impacts for which there
is no significant difference between the two layout alternatives of the Frans Conradie Drive Interchange. The second table shows the impacts assessed for both
Alternatives 1 and 2 (separately), as well as the No-Go Alternative. These are the impacts for which the difference in bridge design affects the impact assessment
outcomes. The same impacts are not covered in both tables.
Potential impact
Design Alternative 2 Design Alternative 1 (Preferred) No-Go Alternative
Without With Without Without
With mitigation With mitigation
mitigation mitigation mitigation mitigation
Planning and Design Phase Impacts
Socio-Economic
PRASA not being able to
implement mandate to provide Medium to Medium to High
Medium (-) Medium (-) Medium (-) Medium (-)
transportation service High (+) (+)
infrastructure.
Design Alternatives
Bridge Structure / Design Medium (-) Medium (+) Medium (-) High (+) Medium (-) Medium (-)
Demolition Method Selection
Correct Demolition Applied High (-) Medium (-) High (-) Medium (-) Not Applicable Not applicable
DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Socio -Economic
Noise Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
Dust Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
Visual Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
Employment Opportunities Medium to Medium to High
Medium (+) Medium (+) Not applicable Not applicable
High (+) (+)
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Traffic Impacts Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
Estuarine Environment
Waste management impacts Low (-) -
High (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
during the construction phase Insignificant
Dust impacts during the
Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
construction phase
Noise impacts during the
Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
construction phase
Water Quality Impacts Low(-) Insignificant Very Low(-) Insignificant
Traffic impacts due to
Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
construction vehicles
Employment opportunities
during the construction phase Low (+) Medium (+) Low (+) Medium (+) Not applicable Not applicable
Loss of Habitat Low (-) Insignificant Very Low (-) Insignificant Not applicable Not applicable
Hazardous Spill Management Medium (-) Low (-) Medium (-) Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
Operational Phase Impacts
Socio- economic
Socio-Economic
Low (+) Medium (+) Low (+) Medium (+) Not applicable Not applicable
Noise and Vibration Medium (-) Very Low(-) Medium (-) Very Low (-) Not applicable Not applicable
Hydrological and
Medium (-) (Low (-) Medium (-) High (+) Not applicable Not applicable
Hydrodynamic Function
Decommissioning Phase Impacts
Decommissioning are expected to be similar to those associated with construction activities
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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings of the above summarised impact assessment, Concept 4 Precast Beams has
been identified as the preferred alternative. This is largely because construction period is shorter
compared to Concept 1, the costs higher are more feasible to the client compared to Concept 1 and
coffer dams are not required for Concept 4 Precast Beams bridge design.
Although high negative impacts have been identified in this Basic Assessment Report, the
recommendation to not use the Caustic Chemical Demolition method reduces this identified impact
as insignificant if the client advises the contractor to not use this method during the demolition phase
of the project. The entry of plastic waste into the estuary can be mitigated with measures placed in
the EMPr.
All mitigation measures recommended by the estuary specialist should be implemented to ensure
that impacts to the estuary and other features of the environment are avoided and, where they cannot
be avoided, they are minimised to acceptable levels.
The Environmental Partnership submits that this Draft BAR to obtain further the environmental issues
and concerns raised by I&APs, organs of state, authorities and the project team during the first phase
of the project.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the proposed Concept 4 Precast Beams be approved, receives approval on
condition that the recommended mitigation measures are applied.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Public participation is a key component of the environmental assessment process as it introduces
the proposed activity to the public and provides an opportunity for comments and concerns to be
raised and addressed. Public participation will be undertaken in terms of Section 41 of the 2014
NEMA: EIA Regulations, as amended. Below is an outline of what was undertaken:
First Public Participation Iteration:
The initial Basic Assessment Report (BAR) will be made available to the broader public, identified
Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) and relevant Organs of State for their perusal and comment
from 30 August 2024 until 30 September 2024 by the following means:
• A media notice will be published in The South Coast Sun.
• Site notices will be placed in conspicuous locations around the site.
• An electronic copy of the draft BAR will be placed on The Environmental Partnership’s
website ([Link]).
• A copy of the draft BAR will be placed at the Kingsburgh Public Library for the duration of the
public commenting period.
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• The information sheet (summary of the BAR) will be distributed to identified Interested and
Affected Parties (I&APs) via email, physical drop-offs or letters sent via registered mail where
necessary.
• The Information Sheet will also be delivered to the following entities:
• Occupiers/owners of the site
• Directly adjacent landowners
• The BAR will be distributed all relevant Organs of State via email (with a link for larger files, if
necessary)
• Upon completion of the commenting period, a Comments and Responses Table will be
compiled to document all comments, and to provide responses thereto.
All measures required as per the COVID-19 Directions of the Department of Environmental Affairs
and Development Planning will be taken into account. Proof of the Public Participation Process will
be appended to the next version of the BAR.
WAY FORWARD
Comments received for this Draft BAR will be incorporated, addressed included in the Final BAR.
An information Sheet summarising this Draft BAR will be distributed key identified I&APs and Organs
of State and they will be informed that the full report is available on, The Environmental Partnership
website and at the Kingsburgh Local Library and on The Environmental Partnership’s website:
[Link].
During the 30-day commenting period, all I&APs are invited to submit their comments on or before
25 September 2024. Comments may be submitted to The Environmental Partnership via email or
post at the following details:
The Environmental Partnership
P O Box 945, Cape Town, 8000
Tel: 021 422 0999
Email: comments@[Link]
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