zo-5-expert-affidavit-of-nick-helme-ea6d2b3c9b16a9f0.pdf

This document consists of an expert affidavit and a supporting statement by botanical consultant Nick Helme, provided to the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER). Helme critiques the environmental impact assessments for the expansion of the Tormin Mine, arguing that the failure to conduct site visits during the optimum spring flowering season led to an underestimation of the botanical sensitivity and the presence of Species of Conservation Concern (SCC) in the development footprints.

• Nick Helme asserts that the Terrestrial Ecology Specialist Study, Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), and Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the Tormin mine expansion are flawed because site visits were not conducted during the optimum spring flowering season (early August to early September). He states that this omission prevented the identification of a substantial portion of the flora, as bulbs and annuals—which typically comprise 20% to 40% of total plant diversity in these semi-arid habitats—are often dormant and invisible outside of this window.
• Helme argues that the ecological specialist study likely understated the botanical sensitivity of the proposed mining and facility areas. While the original report only named two observed plant Species of Conservation Concern (SCC)—Boophone haemanthoides and Babiana thunbergli (now B. hirsuta)—Helme identifies several other likely SCCs based on his own surveys of adjacent properties. He suggests the beach mining areas likely support at least four plant SCC (Oncosiphon schlechteri, Helichrysum dunense, Drosanthemum marinum, and Manulea cinerea), and the inland mining and facility footprints likely support between 5 and 10 plant SCC.
• The document highlights the presence of three undescribed plant species in the region (Nemesia sp. nov., Gethyllis sp. nov., and Arctotis sp. nov. rubrosabulosa MS), noting that the first two are rare and threatened. Helme posits that there could be as many as 12 or 13 plant SCC in the inland development footprints, and the failure to disprove their presence via a spring survey constitutes a failure of the specialist study, the EIR, and the EA.
• The affidavit relates to a legal application by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) to set aside the Integrated Environmental Authorisation and the amendment of the mining right for Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR). The proposed expansion of the Tormin Mine involves adding 188.7 hectares to mine an additional strip of coastline (ten beaches), conducting inland "strand line" mining on the Farm Geelwal Karoo 262, and constructing additional infrastructure including processing plants and stockpile areas.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). zo-5-expert-affidavit-of-nick-helme-ea6d2b3c9b16a9f0.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ZO-5-Expert-Affidavit-of-Nick-Helme.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. zo-5-expert-affidavit-of-nick-helme-ea6d2b3c9b16a9f0.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ZO-5-Expert-Affidavit-of-Nick-Helme.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=zo-5-expert-affidavit-of-nick-helme-ea6d2b3c9b16a9f0.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ZO-5-Expert-Affidavit-of-Nick-Helme.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsndzo5expertaffidavitofnickhelmeea6d2b3c9b16a9f0pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{zo-5-expert-affidavit-of-nick-helme-ea6d2b3c9b16a9f0.pdf}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ZO-5-Expert-Affidavit-of-Nick-Helme.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }