Perspectives on the contribution of SIA to EIA decision making in South Africa

MSc (Environmental Management) , North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus

The Republic of South Africa is a country facing numerous developmental challenges, hence the concept of Sustainable Development is held in high regard. This concept necessitates developmental practices that meet the needs of current generations without compromising or inhibiting future generations from meeting their own. The latter is achieved through an equitable assignment of environmental protection, social- and economic prosperity. Together, these terms are recognised as the pillars of sustainable development. With the aforementioned in mind, there is no doubt that social dimensions and impacts emanating from development are as vital as those imposed unto the biophysical and economic landscape. However, in reality, social impacts and the tool utilised to assess them within the context of Environmental Assessments are observed as subsidiary to the biophysical environment and the tools to assess them. This phenomenon persist both in international and local contexts. The tools referred to are called Social Impact Assessments (SIAs) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) respectively. A Social Impact Assessment is a discipline which entails the processes of predicting and managing social impacts resulting from development. Intriguingly, the nature of development is encouraged and facilitated by social dynamics however the preceding status under the auspices of EA’s prevails. The latter remains as- is despite triumphs by the SIA community in ascribing to good practice amid the various obstacles faced in practice. It is due to such concerns that the bulk of SIA research focuses on issues such as SIA effectiveness, independence and status or position. This study therefore probed perspectives of SIA practitioners and regulators, to determine SIA’s distinct contribution to EIA decision making. The motivation being to deduce whether the discipline has been reduced to a mere rubber-stamping exercise or whether it is fit for purpose, thus delivering positive outcomes within the decision-making process. The study employed a qualitative research approach to explore existing literature pertaining to SIA in a South African context, while drawing from international correlations, including inference from EIA. The empirical study generated data from a self-administered questionnaire disseminated to ten (10) practitioners and four (4) regulators. The questionnaire is comprised of three predetermined themes namely: Theme 1: Background and experience of participants; Theme 2: SIA effectiveness; and Theme 3: The influence of SIA in EIA decision making. Research findings in line with Theme 1 demonstrated that all participants have adequate knowledge of SIA in theory while the majority have extensive experience, thus creating fertile ground to examine the links between practice and theory. The feedback received with regards to Theme 2, portrays SIA as an ineffective Environmental Management (EM) tool due to the numerous inhibiting factors experienced in practice. The third and final theme stresses the unutilised potential of SIA and the fact that the EIA process continues to be dominated by biophysical aspects, hence swaying the decision making towards un-holistic, socially incognisant and somewhat biased final decisions. Recommendations on how to improve the “ineffective” status of SIA include the development and strengthening of statutory legislation, improved SIA standards and a provision of guidelines for those new in practice, so as to improve on the basis of social impacts enforcement and compliance. The latter can additionally be facilitated by a concurrent facilitation of regulatory personnel.

Masters