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This document is a draft written reply from the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs to a National Assembly question (No. 2928) asked by Mr G R Morgan (DA) on 23 September 2011. The reply addresses the submission of corrective action plans by municipalities and water service authorities that performed inadequately in wastewater service management according to the 2011 Green Drop Report.

This document is a draft written reply from the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs to a National Assembly question (Question 44) posed by Mrs J F Terblanche (DA) regarding the status of the Hammarsdale sludge pond site.

This document is a draft written reply from the South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs to a National Assembly question (No. 1578) posed by Mr J H van der Merwe (IFP) regarding water shortages in the Dukuduku and St Lucia areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

This report identifies and maps National Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) across South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland, defining them as areas that supply a disproportionate amount of mean annual runoff relative to their land area. The document evaluates the ecological condition, protection levels, and threats to these areas—including land cover modification and mining—while also providing an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine in Mpumalanga.

This document is a technical map dated 27 June 2018 showing a mined-out area above decant level in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, specifically near Utrecht. It uses a coal floor model based on exploration borehole data to delineate mine boundaries and decant areas.

The Department of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of South Africa declined a Water Use Licence Application submitted by Anchor Energy LNG (Pty) Ltd for the Nseleni Independent Floating Power Plant (NIFPP) and associated infrastructure at the Port of Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal. The application was rejected because the applicant failed to provide adequate mitigation measures for several identified potential impacts on water resources.

A formal request sent on 29 November 2016 by the Life After Coal Campaign and other environmental organisations to the South African Minister of Energy, seeking an extension for public comment on the Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) and the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Update and demanding the release of critical supporting documents.

The 'Mining and Biodiversity Guideline: Mainstreaming biodiversity into the mining sector' (2013) is a practical manual designed to help the South African mining industry, regulators, and practitioners integrate biodiversity considerations into the entire mining life cycle, from reconnaissance to closure. It aims to balance economic growth from mineral wealth with the conservation of South Africa's megadiverse ecosystems by providing a risk-based approach to land-use planning and impact management.

This guide provides a framework for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into the mining life cycle in South Africa. It details the application of the mitigation hierarchy—avoidance, minimisation, rehabilitation, and offsetting—across various stages of mining, from reconnaissance to decommissioning and closure. The document emphasizes the role of Environmental Management Programmes (EMPs) and the necessity of robust financial provision for environmental remediation, particularly when operating in biodiversity priority areas.

A statement from the South African Department of Environmental Affairs to the Amajuba District Municipality regarding the application by ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited (Newcastle Steel Works) for alternative limits or postponed compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 minimum emission standards.

The document details a dispute over coal prospecting rights granted by the Department of Minerals (DMR) to Samancor Chrome Limited, later ceded to Commissiekraal Coal (Pty) Ltd and Bright Coal (Pty) Ltd, on the Farm Commissiekraal in KwaZulu-Natal. The case is highlighted because the prospecting occurs at the headwaters of the Pongola river system, a highly sensitive area. While the landowner, Nico Lens, supported the activity, downstream users and environmental groups—including the Greater Pongola River Catchment Protection Association (GPRCPA), WWF, and the Impala Water Users Association—opposed it, citing a lack of consultation. The GPRCPA only discovered the operations by chance through a contractor. The case raises concerns regarding the DMR's interpretation of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) concerning ecological degradation and the transparency of the transfer of prospecting rights. An administrative appeal against the prospecting right was lodged on 15 February 2011.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has released a toolkit to guide citizens in submitting feedback on South Africa's Climate Change Bill. The guide outlines the lawmaking process, explains the role of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and identifies critical gaps in the Bill, such as the lack of urgent timeframes for emissions targets, weak transparency provisions, and the use of an outdated 2015 NDC as an interim trajectory. It urges the public to demand stronger penalties for exceeding carbon budgets and more meaningful public participation hearings.

The guide outlines the legal framework for mining in South Africa, emphasizing the rights of affected communities to information, a healthy environment, and consultation. It details the four primary government permissions required for mining—mining/prospecting rights, environmental management plans, water use licences, and environmental authorisations—and provides a roadmap for community members to object to applications, seek compensation, and report environmental crimes.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that South Africa's climate position for COP21 must be grounded in Constitutional obligations to protect human health and the environment. The CER contends that current investments in coal-fired power stations contradict national climate goals and that the state requires transparent, science-based emission regulations and enforcement to meet its legal duties.

The document identifies 22 water source areas (WSAs) in South Africa that provide 50% of surface run-off from only 8% of the land, supporting 60% of the population and 67% of economic activity. It highlights critical threats including coal and gold mining, fracking, climate change, and alien invasive vegetation, noting that only 13% of WSAs are under formal protection under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA). The guide provides a 'Legal Toolbox' of seven legislative mechanisms to restrict harmful activities and restore ecological infrastructure.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment of South Africa has refused an application for Environmental Authorisation submitted by Karpowership SA (Pty) Ltd for a 540MW Gas to Power Powership Project at the Port of Ngqura. The refusal is based on significant failures in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, including inadequate public consultation, missing critical specialist studies on underwater noise, and gaps in the provided environmental assessments.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) of South Africa has refused an application for Environmental Authorisation submitted by Karpowership SA (Pty) Ltd for a 540MW Gas to Power Powership Project at the Port of Richards Bay. The refusal is based on significant failures in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, including inadequate public participation, contradictory specialist reports, and critical gaps in assessing impacts on marine and avian biodiversity.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) of South Africa has refused an application for Environmental Authorisation submitted by Karpowership SA (Pty) Ltd for a 415MW Gas to Power Powership Project at the Port of Saldanha. The refusal is based on significant failures in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, including inadequate public consultation, gaps in specialist studies, and non-compliance with legislative requirements.

The report finds that the DMRE's capacity for environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement at mines remains 'woefully inadequate', with a severe shortage of qualified inspectors relative to the number of operating mines. Analysis of data from 2017 to 2019 reveals a decrease in inspections in six of nine provinces and significant discrepancies between the DMRE's annual reports and information provided via PAIA requests. The document highlights a lack of transparency, noting that the DMRE does not publish a comprehensive results report similar to the National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report (NECER). Criminal enforcement is described as inconsistent, with some provinces recording no activity and others showing a steep drop-off between arrests and successful prosecutions.

This briefing document, submitted to Eskom's Board Social, Ethics and Sustainability Committee on 29 May 2017, provides an update on the organization's environmental performance, compliance status, and risk management for the 2016/17 financial year. It details emissions and water usage metrics, legal contraventions, the progress of air quality improvement and offset projects, and the implementation of biodiversity and bird mitigation strategies.