MINING WITHIN PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE

The report argues that the Mabola Protected Environment (MPE) was correctly proclaimed due to its high biodiversity and hydrological importance. It concludes that de-proclaiming the MPE to allow the Yzermyn coal mine would set a dangerous precedent, risk irreplaceable ecosystems, and contradict South Africa's climate change goals. While the mine's current underground plan has moderate short-term impacts, the report warns of long-term risks including acid mine decant and permanent loss of critical water-producing wetlands.

• The proclamation of the Mabola Protected Environment (MPE) is considered well-founded because it meets NEMPAA requirements, including collective action by landowners to conserve biodiversity and the protection of areas sensitive to development.
• The MPE is ecologically critical, containing the Wakkerstroom / Luneberg Grasslands Threatened Ecosystem and providing essential connectivity between Irreplaceable Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs).
• The area is hydrologically significant, straddling the Assegaai, Thaka, and Phongola River systems and supporting the Heyshope Dam, which provides high-quality water for Eskom power stations via inter-basin transfers.
• The Wakkerstroom Wetland is a rare peatland that qualifies for Ramsar Status, supporting the second largest breeding group of Grey Crowned Cranes in South Africa.
• De-proclaiming the MPE to allow mining would likely lead to prolonged litigation and damage the credibility of the National Protected Area Expansion Strategy (NPAES) and the NEMPAA.
• The proposed Yzermyn coal mine would cause permanent habitat loss and disturb threatened fauna, including Endangered bat species and Vulnerable bird species like the African Grass Owl.
• The Yzermyn mine poses significant hydrological risks, including the destruction of seepage zones and a potential loss of catchment yield estimated at 1% of the Mean Annual Run-off of the W51A catchment.
• There is a high risk of long-term pollution from acid mine decant after the 15-year mine life, as 67% of Yzermyn coal samples are classified as potentially acid generating.
• Allowing mining in the MPE would contradict South Africa's climate change mitigation goals by destroying refugia and promoting the extraction of coal.
• The report recommends against approving mining in the MPE due to its sensitivity and suggests a strong precautionary approach to prevent unmitigatable damage.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2015). MINING WITHIN PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Annexure-L_-Mining-within-Protected-Environments-FINAL-1.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. MINING WITHIN PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE. 2015. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Annexure-L_-Mining-within-Protected-Environments-FINAL-1.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=MINING WITHIN PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE |date=March 2015 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Annexure-L_-Mining-within-Protected-Environments-FINAL-1.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrights2015mining, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{MINING WITHIN PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Annexure-L_-Mining-within-Protected-Environments-FINAL-1.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }