S24G and Similar Listings

This guide provides a framework for identifying 'similar listings' across different iterations of South African environmental legislation to determine if pending or unlawful activities can be authorized under current regulations. It specifically addresses the transition between the Environment Conservation Act (ECA), the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and the 2014 EIA Regulations (GNR 982, 983, 984, and 985).

• Pending applications for environmental authorization submitted under previous ECA or NEMA regulations are handled differently based on whether the activity remains listed. If the activity is still listed, the application is dispensed with under the previous regulations. However, if the activity is no longer listed, the application is deemed withdrawn.
• For pending applications where a component of the activity was not listed under previous ECA or NEMA notices but is now listed under the 2014 Regulations (GNRs 983, 984, and 985), the competent authority may authorize the new activity provided all impacts and requirements of the current regulations have been adequately assessed.
• Activities unlawfully commenced under ECA and NEMA EIA Regulations may be rectified via Section 24G of NEMA. However, a rectification application cannot be submitted for an activity that was unlawfully commenced under ECA regulations if that activity is no longer listed under NEMA, unless the application was submitted between 7 January 2005 and 06 July 2005.
• Rectification applications submitted under Section 24G that are not yet finalized must be completed even if the activity is no longer listed, as these applications were submitted under NEMA and are not deemed withdrawn.
• Environmental authorizations and Section 24G decisions are limited to the scope of current listed activities. If only a portion of a previously applied-for or unlawful activity fits the current wording or thresholds of the 2014 Regulations, only that specific portion can be authorized or legalized.
• The document provides extensive mapping tables (Tables 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8) to help proponents and Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) identify 'similar listings' between old regulations (ECA 1997, ECA 2002, NEMA 2006, NEMA 2010) and the 2014 NEMA Listed Activities (GNR 983, 984, 985).
• Certain activities, such as waste management, are excluded from the EIA listing comparisons because they are governed by the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (NEMWA).
• New activities introduced on 08 December 2014 include the underground gasification of coal (300 kg or more per day), developments on land previously used for mining or heavy industrial purposes (1000 square metres or more), and the operation of zip-lines or foefie-slides exceeding 100 metres in length.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2015). S24G and Similar Listings. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Similar-Listings-Document-January-2015_3.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. S24G and Similar Listings. 2015. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Similar-Listings-Document-January-2015_3.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=S24G and Similar Listings |date=January 2015 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Similar-Listings-Document-January-2015_3.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrights2015s24g, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{S24G and Similar Listings}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Similar-Listings-Document-January-2015_3.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }