Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Bill: deliberations

Meeting report

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The aim of this report is to summarise the main events at the meeting and identify the key role players. This report is not a verbatim transcript of proceedings.

MINERALS AND ENERGY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
12 June 2002
DELIBERATIONS ON THE MINERALS AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT BILL

Chairperson: Mr M. Goniwe (NA)
Mr M. Moosa (NCOP)

Documents handed out:
None

MINUTES
Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Bill
The Chairperson, Mr Goniwe noted that the aim of the meeting was to identify key issues that had arisen out of the public hearings. He appealed to members not to discuss substantive issues.
Comments were made by various members about the process followed during the hearings and what the outcomes had been on the submissions that had been received. Members from both the majority and the minority were unanimous in their praise for the positive way in which the process had played itself out and the meaningful participation that had resulted as a result. Concerns were however raised over the process that was to be followed after the hearings as the Committee had limited time within which to consider the Bill. Points were made that the process should not be fast-tracked, whilst at the same time the processing of the Bill should not be unduly delayed.

The Chair asked members to enumerate key issues that had arisen out of the public hearing process. Mr Goniwe listed the following:
∙ Constitutionality of the Bill
∙ Security of Tenure
∙ Discretionary Powers of the Minister
∙ Judicial Appeal
∙ Transferrability and Bankability
∙ Community Leverage over minerals rights
∙ Beneficiation
∙ Expropriation
∙ Money Bill

The following were those additional issues listed by members:
∙ Transitional arrangements - Mr G Bell (DP)
∙ Rights of landowners - Mr A Nell (NNP)
∙ Financial Assistance and institutional support - Mr Dlali (ANC)
∙ Royalties, pending applications and guidelines for the Social Plan - Mr S Mongwaketse (ANC)
∙ Black Economic Empowerment, Sections 10 and 43 rights, joint ventures, overlap with other statutes, composition of the Mining Board and conversion from old to new order rights - Mr I Davidson (DP)
∙ Labour Plan and retrenchments - Mr M Moosa (ANC)

Mr Goniwe noted that the issues listed were not a closed list and members could add on additional issues at a later time.

The meeting was adjourned.


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