3.2-annexures-a7cd5f38edf0c1c1.pdf

This document consists of a series of legal statements, permissions, and correspondence regarding the Yzermyn underground coal mine project in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It includes a formal permission from the Ministers of Environmental Affairs and Mineral Resources for Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd to mine within the Mabola Protected Environment, a land use approval from the Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality, and a detailed statement of grounds for appeal filed by a coalition of environmental organisations. The appeal argues that the project is 'fatally flawed' due to its potential for irreversible damage to critical biodiversity, wetlands, and water resources, and claims that the socio-economic benefits to local communities were overestimated.

• The Ministers of Environmental Affairs and Mineral Resources granted Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd permission to conduct underground coal mining within the Mabola Protected Environment under Section 48 of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA), 2003.
• The permission to mine is subject to several specific conditions, including the appointment of an independent Environmental Control Officer (ECO), the submission of quarterly compliance reports, and the implementation of a plant rescue and protection plan for conservation-important species.
• A coalition of eight appellants, including Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and Birdlife South Africa, appealed the approval of the Environmental Management Programme (EMPR), arguing that it lacks appropriate mitigation measures for water resources and biodiversity.
• Biodiversity specialists from Natural Scientific Services (NSS) concluded that the project should be a 'NO GO' because the underground mining would significantly impact water supply to surface water resources and cause potential groundwater contamination.
• The NSS biodiversity report identified that the mine is located in the Grassland Biome, which has extremely high biodiversity, and noted the presence of six floral species at high risk of extinction and 30 protected species.
• The project is predicted to cause a lowering of groundwater levels—up to 10m in the shallow aquifer and up to 55m in the deeper aquifer—which could dry up springs and negatively impact wetlands.
• Appellants claim the project's socio-economic assessment is unbalanced, noting that while it predicts 576 operational jobs, skilled labour and management are likely to be sourced from outside the local area or from India.
• The Department of Water Affairs (DWA) expressed that it did not support the mining development, citing concerns over the location in sensitive habitats and the risk of acid mine drainage (AMD) post-closure.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). 3.2-annexures-a7cd5f38edf0c1c1.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/3.2-Annexures.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. 3.2-annexures-a7cd5f38edf0c1c1.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/3.2-Annexures.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=3.2-annexures-a7cd5f38edf0c1c1.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/3.2-Annexures.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsnd32annexuresa7cd5f38edf0c1c1pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{3.2-annexures-a7cd5f38edf0c1c1.pdf}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/3.2-Annexures.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }