The Council for Geoscience (CGS) will be hosting a two-day workshop and interactive discussion between 01 and 02 December 2021 to facilitate awareness and collaboration on the mandatory requirements and risks associated with development of dolomite land to enable sustainable development, service delivery and community safety.

The primary objectives of the engagement sessions will be to create awareness on prevailing issues around development on dolomite, legislative responsibilities of Municipalities, sinkhole risk mitigating factors, and to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing amongst affected and key Stakeholders.

Section 24 of the Constitution of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) affords all South Africans the right to a safe environment for present and future generations, while the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (Act 103 of 1977) promotes regulatory uniformity for the construction of buildings. These two legislative pieces clearly established the responsibilities of Local Authorities, stipulating functional requirements and control of on-site activities during construction projects within their areas of jurisdiction. Regulatory requirements specific to development on dolomitic land by State Authorities will also be expanded upon during the workshop.

Through this workshop, the Council for Geoscience is hoping to start a progressive conversation amongst all involved in regulating building practice and, more specifically, safety on dolomite land under the following topics:

• Equipping Municipalities with relevant knowledge for development on dolomite land, the extent of occurrence and issues associated with such terrain, including public education;
• Legislative responsibility of Municipalities;
• Negative impacts of unregulated development on such land;
• Risk management and mitigation strategies to reduce the effects of sinkhole formation;
• The Council for Geoscience advisory role;
• Learning from Municipal challenges through case studies in relation to approved building regulatory processes and policy issues;
• A discussion on how far South Africa has come (technically, legislatively, etc.), prevailing gaps and barriers, and how do we move forward.

Please confirm your participation by clicking on the registration link below:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EwiMDnVdRnOAsXupXJM__g