Electricity + Control - page 51

ENERGY + ENVIROFICIENCY
Nissan
handed over an all-electric Nis-
san LEAF to City ofTshwane executive
mayor, Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa,
ahead of Sustainability Week, for a
two-month test drive period.The LEAF
was showcased from 14 to 18 June
2014 around the city and during the
Sustainability Week Conference, held
at the CSIR International Convention
Centre. The City of Tshwane launched
theTshwane Green Economy Strategic
Framework during the conference.
Enquiries: Dudu Mwelase.Tel: 012 529
8879 or email
Despite living in the age of high technology and convenience,
sometimes situations demand a more traditional approach to ac-
cessing essential information.This was the case recently when Royal
HaskoningDHV was appointed to prepare the Alfred Nzo (Mbizana)
Coastal Management Programme (CMP) in terms of the National
Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act,
Act No 24 of 2004 (ICM Act).The Alfred Nzo District Municipality in
the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, with only a single coastal
local municipality, identified coastal zone management as one
of three aspects crucial to creating a conducive environment for
economic growth and better access to services.The Mbizana Local
Municipality described its coastal environment as its ‘…most prized
natural resource.’
A CMP contains four key components, namely vision; coastal
management objectives, priorities and strategies. Specific com-
ponents and focus areas need to be prioritized and realistic imple-
mentation action plans developed.
Inaccessible study area
Royal HaskoningDHV
’s project leader Tandi Breetzka describes
an unusual and physically challenging approach to gathering the
necessary information for this assignment.
“As a result of the relative inaccessibility of the Mbizana coastal
zone by vehicle, the site visit to assess local conditions, to ground
truth information and assess data, our team needed to ‘think out
the box’ and come up with an innovative solution. We elected to
make use of the almost defunct Amadiba hiking and trekking trails!”
On foot and on horseback
“Setting off before day break from Durban we drove to the Wild
Coast Sun hotel where we hiked the initial 14 km from the northern
boundary, crossing two rivers via local ‘ferry’ and then via horse-
back on Pondoland ponies hired from local homesteads by Trail
Guide ‘Sticks’ . With innovative and somewhat suspect tackle,
we travelled the remaining 10 km to the southern boundary. The
team, including client representatives, spent the night at the Mtentu
Lodge, another local tourism initiative, and rested our weary and
somewhat bruised bodies.
“The second day entailed more horse-riding, this time going past
the rocky shore we had missed the day before, followed by a three
hour trip by ‘wild coast taxi’ back to theWild Coast Sun. After a final
look at the beach we headed back to Durban.”
Comprehensive CMP
Breetzke’s team will report on the status quo of the various sectors
that influence coastal management issues in an inventory analysis.
These include biodiversity, endemism, conservation, public access
and ecosystem goods and services, will be prioritised. The drafting
of the CMP document follows and will be implementation focused,
ensuring that the knowledge generated by the inventory analysis
component will be incorporated into a decision-making framework
(among others). This will provide a list of prioritised actions and
timeframes to achieve the identified goals and objectives.
Enquiries: Hillary Erasmus.Tel. 011 798 6000 or email
Electric Nissan LEAF showcased during SustainabilityWeek
Going the extra mile
Mercedes Mathebula (City of Tshwane),
Keba Matlhako (Nissan SA), Mayor
Ramokgopa, Edwin Matlou (Nissan SA),
Dorah Nteo (City of Tshwane), and Dolly
Mafa (City of Tshwane).
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July ‘14
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