Question NW450 to the Minister of Mineral Resources andEnergy
20 November 2019 - NW450
Boshoff, Dr WJ to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources andEnergy
(1) Whether his department has been informed of (a) the application to mine coal in the Marloth Park and Kruger National Park area and (b) the findings of an environment impact assessment study (EIA) that had been done to determine the impact of such a mine on the area; if so, (i) on what date did his department first learn of the application and (ii) whether he will furnish Dr W J Boshoff with a copy of the EIA; (2) Whether his department is willing to initiate its own EIA so as to compare its findings with the findings of the existing EIA done by Singo Consultants; if not, why not; if so, on what date will the EIA be commissioned (3) Whether his department has been informed that a certain person (name furnished) is a member of the board of executives of a certain mining corporation (details furnished) and that the specified person’s report in fact constitutes a conflict of interest; if not, (4) Whether his department is prepared to investigate the matter; if not, why not; if so, what will be his department's further actions in this regard; (5) Whether he will make a statement on the matter?
Reply:
(1)(a) Yes, the Department is aware of an application to mine coal in Marloth Park next to the Kruger National Park.
(b) The assessment of the Environmental Impact Assessment is currently being conducted in terms of the requirements of the National Environmental Management Act and its Regulations. The assessment has not yet been finalised.
- The Department learned of the application on the 19!h July 2018, which is the date when both the Mining Right Application in terms of section 22(1) of the MPRDA and the Environmental Authorization were lodged in terms of the EIA Regulations.
- Yes, the copy of the EIA will be made available upon request.
- The Department will not initiate an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as this is the requirement that must be satisfied by the applicant. The Department is required and currently undertaking an assessment of the submitted EIA in terms of the NEMA Act and Regulations
- It is difficult for the Department to answer this question since the name of the person under this enquiry and the mining corporation she/he is said to be an executive has not been revealed.
- It is again difficult for the Department to properly reply to the question since the name of the person under this enquiry and the mining corporation she/he is said to be an executive has not been revealed. This makes further investigations into the matter an impossibility.
- The Minister will not be making a statement in this regard