Joint Media Statement by Civil Society Coalition on the MPRDA: Minister Ramatlhodi chooses a dangerous path

A coalition of civil society organisations condemns the South African Minister of Mineral Resources for prioritising corporate interests over the rights and health of mining-affected communities. The statement highlights widespread protests across multiple provinces due to pollution, socio-economic hardship, and the exclusion of communities from the legislative process regarding the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA). The coalition warns that rushing the Amendment Bill without genuine consultation will lead to further instability and constitutional challenges, while also noting the impact of illicit financial flows by multinational mining companies.

• The Minister of Mineral Resources has ignored critical reasons for the President's return of the MPRDA Amendment Bill to Parliament, specifically the failure of provincial legislatures to facilitate public participation and the Bill's disregard for the consent principle of customary law.
• Mining-affected communities across South Africa are conducting protests to demand justice, inclusive outcomes, and redress for environmental damage, including pollution and contamination from mines and power stations.
• Multinational mining companies are identified as the primary drivers of illicit financial flows, which result in the loss of billions in revenue for South Africa.
• The coalition argues that the Minister's plan to push the new MPRDA Amendment Bill through Parliament within six months is unrealistic and risks repeating previous constitutional transgressions regarding community exclusion.

APA

Melissa (2015). Joint Media Statement by Civil Society Coalition on the MPRDA: Minister Ramatlhodi chooses a dangerous path. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/news/joint-media-statement-by-civil-society-coalition-on-the-mprda-minister-ramatlhodi-chooses-a-dangerous-path

Chicago

Melissa. Joint Media Statement by Civil Society Coalition on the MPRDA: Minister Ramatlhodi chooses a dangerous path. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2015. https://cer.org.za/news/joint-media-statement-by-civil-society-coalition-on-the-mprda-minister-ramatlhodi-chooses-a-dangerous-path.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Melissa |title=Joint Media Statement by Civil Society Coalition on the MPRDA: Minister Ramatlhodi chooses a dangerous path |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=18 February 2015 |url=https://cer.org.za/news/joint-media-statement-by-civil-society-coalition-on-the-mprda-minister-ramatlhodi-chooses-a-dangerous-path |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{melissa2015joint, author = {Melissa}, title = {{Joint Media Statement by Civil Society Coalition on the MPRDA: Minister Ramatlhodi chooses a dangerous path}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2015}, month = feb, url = {https://cer.org.za/news/joint-media-statement-by-civil-society-coalition-on-the-mprda-minister-ramatlhodi-chooses-a-dangerous-path}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }