1. Draft bioregional plans for all five districts of Limpopo have been published.

The plans for

Waterberg, Mopane, Capricorn and Sekhukune have all been approved and gazetted - but the plan
for Vhembe has not been gazetted. Is this correct?.

Response: Yes

2. As noted above, the draft Vhembe Bioregional Plan was published in the provincial gazette in
August 2019 giving a 30-day period for public comment. Three and a half years later, however, the
Vhembe plan remains unpublished. Can LEDET kindly elaborate on the reasons for this long delay,
and any unique factors that distinguish the Vhembe plant from the other four district plans that
were approved and gazetted?

Response: All five bioregional plans in Limpopo were developed as provided for in the Biodiversity Act,
so they can be used to facilitate biodiversity conservation in priority areas outside the protected areas
network.

3. If any formal objections/concerns were raised by stakeholders in relation to the Vhembe plan
during the 30-day comment period, what was the nature of these objections/concerns and which
specific bodies/interest groups raised them?

Response: No objections were raised by stakeholders. Only enquiries regarding the purpose of
publishing the plan and that was dealt with directly with the concerned stakeholder.

4. Some stakeholders have drawn the conclusion that the Vhembe bioregional plan has been
deliberately squashed/suppressed due to direct political interference from senior LEDET/Limpopo
government officials because of perceptions that the Vhembe bioregional plan is in direct conflict
with LEDA's proposed Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ). What is LEDET's
comment/response to this allegation?

Response: The Vhembe Bioregional Plan at its current status is still used to inform land-use planning,
environmental assessment and authorisations and natural resource management by a range of sectors
including LEDET whose decisions impact on biodiversity. The bioregional plan does not replace the
need for site assessments, particularly for Environmental Impact Assessment.

5. Is the draft Vhembe bioregional plan still under discussion or has it been abandoned entirely?

Response: It is not abandoned at all, as indicated above, it is one of the planning tools used in the
province to inform decision making.

6. If the former, at what point have these discussions reached? Can LEDET give an indication of when
it may be gazetted by the MEC? And should it be published, what are the most significant
amendments (if any)?

Response: No amendments the process the gazetting still to be done by the department.

7. If the latter, who gave instructions for the Vhembe plan to be discontinued - and what were the
reasons for such decision?

Response: None

Public Consumption - Information can be used externally