Questions & Replies: Mining

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2015-03-25

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Reply received: April 2015

QUESTION NUMBER:   694       ADVANCE NOTICE NO: NW841E

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER:

694.      Mr J R B Lorimer (DA) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

(1)        Does his department keep a record of the (a) number and (b) conditions of runaway fires (i) at coal mines and (ii) on coal waste dumps; if not, why is this not part of the regular reports which has been required of mines; if so, (aa) how many of these fires are (aaa) currently burning, (bbb) underground, (ccc) above ground and (bb) what are the (aaa) names and (bbb) location of each of the mines where these fires are burning;

(2)        what plans does his department have to (a) bring these fires under control and (b) prevent them from occurring in the future?                                         NW841E

REPLY

  1. (a) (b) There are no runaway fires at mines operating underground and opencast coal mines and coal waste dumps.
  2. In case of underground fire incidents, the mining sector utilises the Mine rescue Services (MRS) to bring the fire under control. For surface fires, mine implement appropriate measures to address such fires.

 

Reply received: April 2015

 

QUESTION NUMBER:   656       ADVANCE NOTICE NO:

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER:

656.      Mrs C Dudley (ACDP) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

(1)        Whether his department has had discussions with diversified mining company Glencore prior to or since receiving notice that it is considering closure of some of its coal mining operations in South Africa, which would reduce its overall South African production by at least five million saleable tons of coal a year and affect more than 1 000 employees; if so, what are the relevant details;

(2)        do operations like Optimum Coal Mine have departmental interaction or assistance in exploring options and putting in place support services for affected employees and their families; if so, what are the relevant details?                                                                         NW731E

REPLY

  1. The Department has been in discussion with Glencore and have met on three (3) occasions. The discussions are still ongoing.
  2. Yes, Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), United Association of South Africa (UASA), National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Productive South Africa (PSA) are also part of negotiations as well as Department of Labour.

 

Reply received: April 2015

 

QUESTION NUMBER:   550       ADVANCE NOTICE NO: NW630E

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER:

550. Mr T Z Hadebe (DA) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

Whether any employees in his department have been on suspension with full salary since 1 January 2014; if so, (a) how many employees and (b) what is the total cost thereof? NW630E

REPLY

Yes, (a) Six (6) employees.

(b) The total cost is R456 284, 07.

 

Reply received: March 2015

QUESTION 198             ADVANCE NOTICE NO: NW215E

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER: 01

Mr J S Malema (EFF) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

In view of the fact that South Africa is the world’s biggest producer of platinum and one of the leading producers of base metals and coal and that the country exports mineral commodities to more than 80 countries, (a) what has been the opportunity cost of lack of beneficiation and localisation of production in the past five years and (b) how many sustainable jobs opportunities were lost due to lack of localisation of production and industrial expansion?                      NW215E

REPLY

(a)   The DMR is supporting the DTI in the development of the Mineral Beneficiation Action Plan, which is intended to provide a detailed mechanisms for practically implement the mineral beneficiation strategy that was adopted by Cabinet as policy and to augment existing beneficiation/manufacturing economic activity in South Africa. As such, lack or otherwise of the beneficiation and localization of production will be quantified upon finalisation of the afore mentioned plan

(b)   Same as (a) above

 

Reply received: March 2015

QUESTION NUMBER:184                      ADVANCE NOTICE NO:

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER:NW193E

Mr A M Figlan (DA) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

(1)        With reference to the reply of the Minister of Communications to question 1031 on 27 November 2014, what was the total amount that (a) his department and (b) each of its entities (i) spent on or (ii) budgeted for advertising for each month between 1 January 2013 and 31 July 2014, excluding expenditure transferred through the Department of Communications for advertising;

(2)        does such figure for each month represent the (a) total value of advertising that appeared in the media in that month, (b) amount paid in that month for advertising that may have appeared previously or (c) amount paid in advance for advertising that appeared at a later date;

(3)        in each specified case, what amount did (a) his department and (b) each of its entities spend on advertising in (i) print, (ii) radio, (iii) television, (iv) online and (v) outdoor;

(4)        in each specified case, what is the breakdown of advertising by (a) his department and (b) each of its entities in terms of (i) name of and (ii) amount spent on each (aa) publication, (bb) radio station, (cc) television station, (dd) website and (ee) billboards location in each province?

REPLY

  1. (a) (i) R4, 397, 176.54

     (ii) R4, 026, 000

 

(b) (i) R6, 019, 320.01

     (ii) R1, 418,897.00 (excluding MINTEK)

 

  1. (a) No

(b) Yes

(c) No.

 

  1. (a) (i) R1,564,081.27

     (ii) 00

     (iii) 00

     (iv) 00

     (v) R2, 833,095.27

3 (b)

ENTITY NAME

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

MINTEK

R2,316,322.00

R00

R00

R37 551.00

R16 362.00

South African Diamond and Precious Metal Regulator(SADPR)

R31 253.00

R00

R00

R00

R00

State Diamond Trader (SDT)

R90,845.04

R00

R00

R00

R00

Council for Geoscience (CGS)

R2,597,007.13

R00

R00

R00

R00

Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC)

R512,395.84

R00

R00

R00

R00

 

  1. (a) Department

(i)

(ii)

(ii) (aa)

(ii) (bb)

(ii) (cc)

(ii) (dd)

(ii) (ee)

Various service providers were appointed in terms of Supply Chain Management practices.

R1,353,532.20

R1,353,532.20

R00

R00

R00

R00

R3,043,644.34

R00

R00

R00

R00

R3,043,644.34

4    (b) Entities

ENTITY NAME

(i)

(ii)

(ii) (aa)

(ii) (bb)

(ii) (cc)

(ii) (dd)

(ii) (ee)

MINTEK

Various service providers were appointed in terms of Supply Chain Management practices.

R2,787,819.00

R2,316,322.00

R00

R00

R37,551.00

R433,946.00

South African Diamond and Precious Metal Regulator(SADPR)

R31,253.00

R31,253

R00

R00

R00

R00

State Diamond Trader (SDT)

R90,845.04

R90,845.04

R00

R00

R00

R00

Council for Geoscience (CGS)

R2,597,007.13

R2,597,007.13

R00

R00

R00

R00

Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC)

R512,395.84

R512,395.84

R00

R00

R00

R00

 

Reply received: March 2015

QUESTION NUMBER: 146                     ADVANCE NOTICE NO:

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER: NW2556E

146.  Ms A Steyn (DA) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

 

Has his Department issued a sand mining permit or license to a land reform project or initiative in the Ndlambe municipal area of the Eastern Cape, registered under the name Under the Milkwood cc which is portion 0001 of original farm the Gorah, erf no 398; if not, why is the sand mining allowed on the said agricultural property; if so, what are the relevant permit or license details?NW153E

Reply

Yes, a mining permit is issued to Venter Stene CC to mine Sand (General) on the remaining extention of prtion 1 on the farm Genorah 398, for period of two (2) years.

 

Reply received: March 2015

 

Reply received: March 2015

QUESTION NUMBER: 25                       ADVANCE NOTICE NO:

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER: NW2556E

25. Ms J F Terblanche (DA) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

Does his department make use of the services offered by the SA National Space Agency; if not, why not; if so, (a) what services and (b) how regularly?

REPLY

The Department of Mineral Resources has not made use of the services of the SA National Space Agency.

 

Reply received: March 2015

QUESTION 24   ADVANCE NOTICE NO: NW25E

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER:

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER: 01

24. Mr G MacKay (DA) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources:

Whether, with reference to the open shafts at Dalpark Extension 1, Brakpan, he can indicate (a) what is being done in terms of the illegal mining activity in the area, (b) who is the responsible authority to keep these mines safe and closed, (c) what type of action can be expected from his department to address this issue and (d) what is the (i) time period and (ii) plan of action in this regard?        NW2133E

REPLY

  1. The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) is collaborating with the law enforcement agencies, municipality, the mining companies, organized labour and other relevant stakeholders to continue implementing measures including conducting disruption operations and sealing of open shafts in the Ekurhuleni area as part of these measures
  2. (b)        Refer to (a) above.

(c)  The DMR and the stakeholders will continue implementing   respective measures including sealing of the respective openings continuous inspections as well as ongoing operations by the law enforcement agencies.

           (d)         The plan of action is to prioritise the closure of the open shafts in line with the 2015/16 project plan.