Environmental Management Training – a Civil Based Instrument to Ensure Environmental Protection and Legal Compliance: the Mooirivier Mall Case Study

Currently a large scale infrastructural mall development of 48000 m is being constructed adjacent to the Mooi River in the central business district of the city of Potchefstroom. This development is facing significant environmental and social challenges due to the highly sensitive environment in which the development is being constructed. In projects like the Mooirivier Mall Development the actions of all employees at all levels, may contribute to the overall degradation of the surrounding biological and social environment if not controlled by proper environmental instruments. Several environmental management instruments are available for managing the aspects contributing to environmental and social degradation. However, environmental awareness raising and education as a an environmental management instrument in the project life-cycle of a large scale infrastructural development should not be underestimated in the protection of the environment. The latter statement is supported by various South African statutory requirements and the applicable environmental authorisations issued and enforced by competent authorities. Due to the significant environmental, social and financial challenges faced, the Mooirivier Mall development serves as a unique case study for environmental training and education. This paper firstly explores environmental training as a civil based environmental management instrument. Furthermore, the Mooirivier Mall development will be discussed as a case study for legal requirements for environmental training on a project level, as well as the need for an environmental management plan for a development project. The challenges faced and lessons