Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has granted a 15-month extension to holders of rights applied for before 20 November 2015 to comply with the 2015 Financial Provisioning Regulations.

“The extension is subject to, amongst others, those holders complying with the provisions and arrangements regarding financial provisioning set in their respective rights, as issued in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002.

“The affected holders of rights have until 19 September 2023 to comply,” the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said on Thursday.

This extension has been granted as the proposed amendments to the Financial Provisioning Regulations, 2015, gazetted on 27 August 2021 for public comment, are still being finalised.

As part of the “One Environmental System”, the requirements for financial provisioning for rehabilitation in the mining sector were transferred from the Minerals and Petroleum Resource Development Act to the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 through the Financial Provisioning Regulations, as of November 2015.

“These regulations, which are implemented by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, regulate the manner in which holders and applicants of various types of mining rights and permits must provide for and execute rehabilitation of the environmental impacts from mining activities,” the department said.

Any enquiries in connection with the Notice can be directed to Dr D Fischer via email: dfischer@dffe.gov.za. 

The Government Gazette of August 2021 can be accessed on https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202109/45058gon765.pdf

A hard copy of relevant gazetted notices can be obtained from Ms M Masondo at email mmasondo@dffe.gov.za.

Source: South African Government News Agency