PROPOSED MUSINA-MAKHADO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE DEVELOPMENT - ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING ASSESSMENT REPORT

The report assesses the environmental, social, and economic implications of establishing a heavy industrial hub focused on energy and metallurgy in the Musina-Makhado region. It identifies critical concerns including high water requirements in a water-scarce area, potential biodiversity loss, and the need for significant social infrastructure. The document outlines the proposed land uses, including coking, thermal power, and steel plants, and establishes a Plan of Study for a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

• The Musina-Makhado SEZ southern site is a Greenfield development covering a designated area of 7,262.691 hectares across eight farms in the Makhado and Musina local municipalities.
• The development is intended to create a heavy industrial hub for energy and metallurgy, featuring plants for coking, thermal power, ferrochrome, ferromanganese, ferrosilicon, steel, stainless steel, and lime.
• Water availability is a critical risk factor as the region is severely water-strained; the total water supply need for the project is estimated at 13,910.5 10k m³ for the 9-year construction period.
• Due to local water scarcity, the project may need to source water from Zimbabwe, which would require an international water user agreement.
• The site is located within the Transitional zone of the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-recognized area.
• The project is expected to have a significant impact on biodiversity, specifically the loss of Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA 2) in the southern portion of the site.
• The development is expected to generate significant positive socio-economic impacts, including contribution to the national GDP and the creation of formal employment opportunities outside of the Musina and Makhado CBDs.
• Potential environmental challenges identified include intrusion into the protected area network, detrimental effects on regional biodiversity, and a potential increase in pollution pathways.
• The project will trigger a full Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process because it involves the clearance of 20 hectares or more of indigenous vegetation.
• The site is adjacent to the N1 motorway and R525 road; it is proposed that the N1/R525 intersection be upgraded to a cloverleaf interchange to accommodate traffic demand.

APA

Mdungazi, N., & Schoeman, G. (2019). PROPOSED MUSINA-MAKHADO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE DEVELOPMENT - ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING ASSESSMENT REPORT. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/P17102_REPORTS_1_REV-03-Final-Scoping-Assessment-Report-2019-06-05.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Mdungazi, Nsovo, and Gerhard Schoeman. PROPOSED MUSINA-MAKHADO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE DEVELOPMENT - ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING ASSESSMENT REPORT. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2019. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/P17102_REPORTS_1_REV-03-Final-Scoping-Assessment-Report-2019-06-05.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mdungazi |first1=Nsovo |last2=Schoeman |first2=Gerhard |title=PROPOSED MUSINA-MAKHADO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE DEVELOPMENT - ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING ASSESSMENT REPORT |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=August 2019 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/P17102_REPORTS_1_REV-03-Final-Scoping-Assessment-Report-2019-06-05.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mdungazi2019proposed, author = {Mdungazi, Nsovo and Schoeman, Gerhard}, title = {{PROPOSED MUSINA-MAKHADO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE DEVELOPMENT - ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING ASSESSMENT REPORT}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2019}, month = aug, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/P17102_REPORTS_1_REV-03-Final-Scoping-Assessment-Report-2019-06-05.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }