9-049d4dd440ba8aa7.pdf

The document consists of a series of legal and administrative records regarding a land-use change application for Portion 1 of the farm Yzermyn 96 HT in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The application, submitted by Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd, sought to rezone the land from agricultural to 'special' use to allow for mining and related activities. The process involved multiple objections from environmental organizations and landowners, a dismissal by a local planning tribunal based on a lack of locus standi, a subsequent appeal, and a final approval by the Gert Sibande District Municipal Planning Tribunal on 29 April 2019.

• The Gert Sibande District Municipal Planning Tribunal approved the rezoning of Portion 1 of the farm Yzermyn 96 HT from 'AGRICULTURE' to 'SPECIAL' on 29 April 2019, allowing for mining and related uses.
• The approval for special zoning is temporary and will lapse on 7 June 2030, coinciding with the expiry of the mining right granted under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28, 2002, or if the applicant fails to comply with Environmental Authorization number 17/2/3/GS-131.
• A coalition of eight civil society organizations, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), objected to the mining application, citing the area's status as a 'sensitive natural area' and its importance for national water supply.
• The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argued that the application should have been referred to the National Minister under Section 52 of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) because it affects the national interest.
• The Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality Joint Planning Tribunal initially resolved on 14 November 2018 to strike the application from its list because the applicant lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to represent the landowner, as they had not provided a signed power of attorney.
• The Municipal Appeal Authority (MAA) dismissed the appeal against the rezoning approval, ruling that environmental and water authorizations are the province of other competent authorities and not the MAA or the Municipal Planning Tribunal.
• The subject property is located within the Wakkerstroom/Luneburg Grasslands, which is listed as an endangered ecosystem, and is identified as part of the Enkangala Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area.
• Field surveys in the study area identified several conservation-important species, including the Endangered Swinny's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus swinnyi) and the Vulnerable African Grass-owl (Tyto capensis), the latter of which had a nest in the proposed surface infrastructure area.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). 9-049d4dd440ba8aa7.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/9.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. 9-049d4dd440ba8aa7.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/9.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=9-049d4dd440ba8aa7.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/9.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsnd9049d4dd440ba8aa7pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{9-049d4dd440ba8aa7.pdf}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/9.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }