NATIONAL EXEMPTION REGULATIONS, 2014

The National Exemption Regulations, 2014, establish the formal process for applying for and processing exemptions from the National Environmental Management Act, 1998, its regulations, or related notices. The regulations detail the submission requirements, public participation mandates, and the decision-making timelines for the Minister of Environmental Affairs, the Minister responsible for mineral resources, or the MEC.

• Applicants seeking exemption from the National Environmental Management Act, 1998, its regulations, or notices must submit a written application to the Minister of Environmental Affairs, the Minister responsible for mineral resources, or the MEC. The application must include the applicant's contact details, reasons for the request addressing section 24M(4) of the Act, the specific provision for which exemption is sought, supporting documents, a declaration of accuracy, and the required fee.
• The regulations mandate specific public participation processes depending on the nature of the exemption. For exemptions relating to environmental authorisations or Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, applicants must conduct a public participation process as prescribed in those regulations. For other exemptions, applicants must notify interested and affected parties via notice boards at the site boundary, written notices to occupiers and adjacent land owners, notification of the municipal councillor and municipality, advertisements in local and potentially provincial or national newspapers, and alternative methods for persons with disabilities or illiteracy.
• The decision-making process includes strict timelines: the authority must acknowledge receipt of an application within 14 calendar days and reach a decision within 30 calendar days after all information, including any additional information requested within 15 days of receipt, has been received. Once a decision is reached, the authority must notify the applicant and provide written reasons within eight calendar days.
• Granted exemptions are subject to ongoing review and may be suspended, withdrawn, or amended on good grounds. The authority must notify the exemption holder of the intention to change the status and allow for written representations. A final decision on the suspension, withdrawal, or amendment must be made within 30 calendar days of receiving those comments.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2014). NATIONAL EXEMPTION REGULATIONS, 2014. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Exemption-Regulations.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. NATIONAL EXEMPTION REGULATIONS, 2014. 2014. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Exemption-Regulations.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=NATIONAL EXEMPTION REGULATIONS, 2014 |date=8 December 2014 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Exemption-Regulations.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrights2014national, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{NATIONAL EXEMPTION REGULATIONS, 2014}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2014}, month = dec, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Exemption-Regulations.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }