Kruger, E.Freemantle, Sophia Johanna2015-08-142015-08-142008-05http://hdl.handle.net/11660/877English: An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) determines the economic, social and environmental impacts of proposed developments. Environmental Impact Assessment reports are complied by independent consultants in order to provide the authorities with information on the anticipated impacts on the environment caused by a proposed activity or development. The authorities therefore base their decision largely on the EIA document and trust that the information about forecasted impacts are to a large extent accurate. Authorities also trust that the mitigation measures proposed in the Record of Decisions (RODs) and Environmental Management Plans (EMP`s), in order to minimize impacts on the environment, are implemented during the construction and operational phases of a project. Post-authorization activities such as monitoring and auditing are the only feedback mechanisms to provide authorities with information on the extent to which predicted impacts materialised and whether mitigation measures were implemented. Post authorization activities, especially auditing is to a large extend neglected because it was not mandatory in South Africa under the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations promulgated on September 1997 in terms of Environment Conservation Act 107 of 1989. Therefore the accuracy of predicted impacts and the implementation rate of mitigation measures in South Africa are to a large extent unknown. The aim of the study is to assess the accuracy of predicted impacts and the implementation rate of mitigation measures of activities that received authorization from the Departments of Environmental Affairs in the Free State and Northern Cape provinces, in South Africa. The objective of the study is to determine if any improvements are necessary to EIA reports, to establish whether authorities base their decisions on correct information. The adequacy or success of proposed mitigation measures will also aid decision makers in suggesting preventative measures. The research problem posed in this study was two-fold. First the question relating to the accuracy of predicted impacts and implementation of mitigation measures in the Free State and Northern Cape had to be answered. This was done through a method called impact-backwards auditing. Secondly the question whether the two provinces had similar outcomes in terms of predicted impact accuracy and implementation of mitigation measures, had to be assessed. The comparison between the two provinces was conducted through a series of Pearson chi-square tests on contingency tables to assess if statistically significant differences occurred in the outcome of predicted impacts and mitigation measures between the Free State and Northern Cape provinces. This study concluded that no statistically significant differences occurred between the two provinces in relation to the outcome of predicted impacts and mitigation measures. Predicted impacts were to a large extent accurately predicted and the majority of mitigation measures were to a large extent implemented successfully to prevent or minimize an impact.Afrikaans: `n Omgewingsimpak studie stel die beraamde ekonomiese, sosiale en omgewingsimpakte vas van `n voorgestelde ontwikkeling. Omgewingsimpak verslae word saamgestel deur onafhandlike konsultante om sodoende die owerhede te voorsien van inligting oor voorspelde impakte wat veroorsaak word deur ontwikkelinge en aktiwiteite. Die owerhede baseer hulle besluite grootliks op die omgewingsimpak verslae en vertrou dat die inligting wat daarin voorsien word akkuraat is. Die owerhede vertrou ook dat die voorkomings en versagtingsmaatrëels wat gestaaf is in die besluitnemingsdokumente en omgewingsbestuursplanne, geïmplementeer word gedurende die konstruksie en operasionele fase van projekte. Na-besluitnemings aktiwiteite, soos monitering en ouditering, is die enigste terugvoeringsmeganisme om die owerhede te voorsien met inligting in verband met die implementeering van voorgestelde versagtingsmaatrëels en die omvang van voorspelde impakte. Die akkuraatheid van voorspelde impakte en die hoeveelheid van geïmplementeerde versagtingsmaatrëels in Suid Afrika is onbekend, omdat die Omgewings Impak Regulasies wat gepromulgeer is in September 1997 in terme van die Omgewings Bewarings Wet 107 van 1987, nagelaat het om ouditering verpligtend te maak. Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stel wat die akkuraatheid van voorspelde impakte is en die aantal versagtingsmaatrëels wat geïmplementeer is, van goedgekeurde projekte, in die Vrystaat en Noord Kaap provinsies. Die doelwit van die studie is om te verseker dat owerhede hulle besluite baseer op korrekte inligting, deur vas te stel of enige verbeteringe aangebring moet word, aan omgewingsimpak verslae. Nog `n mikpunt van die studie is om te verseker dat besluitnemers maatrëels voorstel wat suksesvol en voldoende sal wees om impakte te versag of te voorkom. Die navorsingsvraag in die studie is tweeledig. Eerstens moes die vraag oor die akkuraatheid van voorspelde impakte en die aantal versagtingsmaatrëels wat geïmplementeer is in die Vrystaat en Noord Kaap beantwoord word. Die vraag se antwoord was verkry deur die metode genaam “backwards auditing” te implementer. Tweedens moes bepaal word of die twee provinsies se resultate dieselde was in terme van die akkuraatheid van voorspelde impakte en geïmplementeerde versagtingsmaatrëels. Die vergelyking van resultate tussen die twee provinsies was bekom deur veskeie “ Pearson chi-square ” toetse op gebeurlikheidstabelle toe te pas. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie was dat daar geen noemenswaardige statistiese verskille voorgekom het tussen die twee Provinsies nie, in ooreenstemming met die uitslag van die voorspelde impakte en versagtings maatrëels. Voorspelde impakte was meestal akkuraat en die meerderheid vesagtingsmaatrëels was grootendeels suksesvol geïmplementeer om die impakte te versag.enEnvironmental impact analysis -- South Africa -- Free StateEnvironmental impact analysis -- South Africa -- Northern CapeChi-square testsPublic participationRecord of decisionImplementation of mitigation measuresAccuracy of impactsMonitoringAuditingDissertation (M.A. (Geography))--University of the Free State, 2008DissertationUniversity of the Free State