Participatory rural appraisal approaches, to improve public participation in South African EIA

Abstract

The Public Participation (PP) process is an important part of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) nationally and internationally. PP provides a platform where everyone affected directly and or indirectly by a development proposal can have an impact in the decision-making process. PP ought to involve all Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) from the lower- to upper-class citizens in society. However, research suggests that the lower-class citizenes in South Africa are not participating in PP meetings, although legislation, like the Constitution and National Environmental Management Act for example, is in place to facilitate and mandate their participation. Rural Appraisals like Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), which originated in Africa and Asia, have been used in other research fields outside Environmental Management to reach the lower-class citizens. The aim of this research was to investigate to what extent the incorporation of a PRA approach, namely Participatory mapping, Focus Group Discussion, Case Study and Stories, into the current EIA system can lead to an increase in the quantity and quality of information that can be gathered during the PP processes. PRA conducted in the same communities (Koffiefontein and Theunissen) as PP, during this research, gathered significantly more information from lower-class citizens. The aim and research objectives have been achieved and it was concluded that a PRA approach can play an important role particularly during the Scoping and Impact Assessment phases to improve public participation in EIA in South Africa, and possibly also in other countries where public participation is not optimal