5-f4c76b48d4628256.pdf

This report identifies and maps National Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) across South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland, defining them as areas that supply a disproportionate amount of mean annual runoff relative to their land area. The document evaluates the ecological condition, protection levels, and threats to these areas—including land cover modification and mining—while also providing an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine in Mpumalanga.

• Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) in South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland occupy approximately 8% of the land surface area but contribute 50% of the region's mean annual runoff.
• Of the SWSAs in South Africa, only 16% have legal protection. The Western Cape province has the highest protection level at 57%, while other provinces like Limpopo have only 12%.
• Land cover modification in SWSAs is significant in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo, where nearly half of the land is no longer in a natural condition. Plantation forestry and cultivation are the primary drivers of this modification.
• While only 0.5% of SWSAs nationally overlap with coal fields, specific areas like the Mfolozi Headwaters and Phongola Drakensberg show a spatial overlap of over 30%, making them highly vulnerable to mining.
• The proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine in Mpumalanga is located in a biodiversity-sensitive area. The 'Best Environmental Option' for the project reduces the surface footprint to 22.4 ha and eliminates the discard dump to minimize impacts on wetlands and groundwater.
• Dewatering activities at the Yzermyn mine are predicted to lower groundwater levels by up to 10m in the shallow aquifer and up to 55m in the deeper aquifer, which may dry up fountains and reduce seepage to wetlands.
• The Yzermyn mine is expected to have a positive economic impact, with total local income from direct employment estimated at 1.45 billion Rands over the life of the mine.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). 5-f4c76b48d4628256.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/5.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. 5-f4c76b48d4628256.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/5.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=5-f4c76b48d4628256.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/5.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsnd5f4c76b48d4628256pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{5-f4c76b48d4628256.pdf}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/5.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }