annexure-ra5-cd2eb1b515ce9727.pdf

The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries of South Africa dismissed appeals brought by the Centre for Environmental Rights and the North Western Cape Mining Forum against an Environmental Authorisation (EA) granted to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd. The EA was issued under section 24G of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) to rectify the unlawful commencement of listed activities—specifically the clearance of vegetation and the construction of a process water dam—on the farm Geelwal Karoo 262 in the Western Cape Province.

• Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd was granted an Environmental Authorisation (EA) on 18 June 2019 for the unlawful commencement of listed activities on the farm Geelwal Karoo 262. These activities included the clearance of 4.1 ha of vegetation (with 2.2 ha occupied by a dam) and the construction of a process water dam with a storage capacity of 93,057m3 and a maximum wall height of approximately 7m.
• As a result of the unlawful activities in transgression of NEMA, the section 24G Committee within the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) imposed an administrative fine of R1,250,000.00, which the applicant paid on 01 May 2019.
• The Minister rejected the appeal concerning biodiversity impacts, noting that while the site is within a Critical Biodiversity Area (CBA) and the Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot, the activities were located outside the coastal strip of high or very high sensitivity. A specialist study by 3 Foxes Biodiversity Solutions found no 'fatal flaw' and concluded that the loss of vegetation was of low significance.
• The appeal regarding cumulative impacts on the CBA was dismissed. The Minister concluded that because significant areas of intact Strandveld vegetation remain, the activities were unlikely to significantly alter the overall functioning of the CBA, and cumulative impacts were therefore less likely to occur.
• The Minister dismissed the appeal regarding the lack of ownership and management by locally based Historically Disadvantaged Persons (HDPs), ruling that such matters are regulated by the Mineral and Petroleum Development Resources Act (MPRDA) rather than the NEMA EA process.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). annexure-ra5-cd2eb1b515ce9727.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Annexure-RA5.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. annexure-ra5-cd2eb1b515ce9727.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Annexure-RA5.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=annexure-ra5-cd2eb1b515ce9727.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Annexure-RA5.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsndannexurera5cd2eb1b515ce9727pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{annexure-ra5-cd2eb1b515ce9727.pdf}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Annexure-RA5.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }