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A court order from the Constitutional Court of South Africa dated 6 November 2019, dismissing an application for leave to appeal filed by Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Limited.

This report provides a wetland ecological assessment for Phase 1 of the proposed ATHA Yzermyn underground coal mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Conducted by Scientific Aquatic Services (SAS), the study evaluates the Present Ecological State (PES), Ecological Importance and Sensitivity (EIS), and potential impacts of mining activities on local wetland systems, including channelled valley bottoms and hillslope seeps.

This document is a Social and Labour Plan (SLP) for Atha-Africa Ventures, detailing the company's strategies for employee training, community development, and socio-economic impact within the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa.

The report identifies critical failures in South African water governance and provides recommendations for civil society to intervene and improve the management of water resources.

A letter from Thabiso Nene, Chairperson of The Voice Community Representative Council, to the Centre for Environmental Rights confirming the organization's role in inviting a public debate regarding a proposed coal mining project near Wakkerstroom.

The document details a complex conflict between Umcebo Mining (Pty) Ltd and civil society, specifically the Escarpment Environment Protection Group (EEPOG), regarding the Klippan Colliery. Despite an initial victory where the Minister of Mineral Resources upheld an appeal against the mining right in August 2008, the document notes that mining continued. Key issues include the failure to obtain water use licences (WULs), inadequate environmental impact assessments regarding sensitive pans (Blinkpan and Grootpan), and allegations of political influence within the Department of Minerals. The case covers four distinct processes: the initial mining right, an amendment to the Environmental Management Programme Report (EMPR) to shift from underground to opencast mining, water and waste management licensing, and authorization for diesel storage tanks.

The document details the environmental and social costs of coal-power generation in South Africa, specifically focusing on the Kusile power station. It highlights that water-related externalities for Kusile range from R0.95 to R1.86 per kWh, driven largely by water use in generation and mining. The text argues that the Draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2016 misrepresents the total cost of coal by ignoring these externalities. It further notes that coal mining and power generation consume 3% and 2% of South Africa's water respectively, with severe regional impacts in the Upper Olifants. The report emphasizes the long-term costs of acid-mine drainage and the disproportionate health and water-security burdens placed on poor communities, concluding that a decarbonised energy future would require four times less water by 2050 and create more jobs than the coal-reliant base case.

The Water Tribunal issued a ruling on 20 August 2010 regarding an appeal by Gideon Anderson (T/A Zonnelbloem Boedery) against a water use licence granted to Vuna Enterprises (Pty) Ltd. The Tribunal determined that the appellant lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to lodge the appeal because he had not submitted a formal written objection within a prescribed time period as required by the National Water Act (NWA).

The document serves as a practical manual for South African citizens to enforce environmental rights against mining operations. It details indicators of illegal mining activity, the legal framework governing environmental crimes, and a step-by-step procedure for filing criminal charges with the police. It also explains the subsequent prosecution process and the legal protections available to whistleblowing employees.

This document is a response filed by UX Inc. on behalf of William Patrick Bower (Pty) Ltd (WPB) to an appeal lodged by Birdlife South Africa against the granting of a mining right. WPB argues that the appeal is out of time, that Birdlife South Africa lacks standing, and that the environmental concerns raised are based on outdated data and ignore the fragmented state of the land due to historical farming.

The document details a case where the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) approved a mining right for Xstrata South Africa (Pty) Ltd despite the fact that wetlands occupy 51% of the 1385 ha area. Key issues include the failure to provide the final EMP for public comment, the lack of consultation with land claimants, and the DMR's decision to grant the right despite clear objections from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Authority (MTPA). The EMP acknowledged that damage to wetlands would be "irreparable" and failed to address pollution from final voids.

The assessment concludes that the Yzermyn underground coal mine is 'fatally flawed' from a biodiversity perspective and recommends a 'NO GO' decision. The project is located in a highly sensitive area, including the Enkangala Grassland Important Bird Area (IBA) and several Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs). Key risks include the potential for extensive wetland loss or deterioration due to groundwater drawdown (cones of depression) and long-term groundwater contamination from acid mine drainage (AMD) post-closure. The report highlights a significant disconnect between the findings of independent specialists—who identify high-significance impacts and irreplaceable habitats—and the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), which downplays these risks by focusing narrowly on the surface infrastructure footprint. The assessment notes that the project threatens numerous 'Conservation Important' (CI) species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

The document details South Africa's coal landscape, identifying the Highveld and Witbank coalfields as the largest by reserves. It provides a comprehensive inventory of mines, their ownership (including major entities like Anglo Coal, Exxaro, and BHP Billiton), and their production outputs for domestic power (primarily Eskom) and export markets. The report also analyzes the logistics chain, focusing on the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) as the primary export hub, and provides detailed cost breakdowns for opencast mining and rail transport.

The Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality's Spatial Development Framework (SDF) 2020 provides a long-term spatial vision to transform the region's apartheid-era layout into a sustainable, integrated environment. The plan identifies a nodal hierarchy with Volksrust and Vukuzakhe as primary nodes, and Amersfoort, Perdekop, and Wakkerstroom as secondary nodes, with Daggakraal as a rural node. Key strategies focus on densification to prevent urban sprawl, the protection of high-potential agricultural land, and the development of tourism, particularly in the Wakkerstroom wetland area. The framework also addresses critical infrastructure backlogs, projecting a need for 10,234 additional housing units by 2040 and significant increases in water and electricity demand. Environmental management is central, with specific guidelines to protect biodiversity and mitigate climate change through 'green infrastructure' and eco-friendly building materials.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that South African local governments must be empowered to procure renewable energy to meet constitutional obligations under Section 24 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a healthy environment. The CER contends that the current reliance on Eskom's coal-fired power stations causes significant health crises, including thousands of premature deaths and high greenhouse gas emissions. It asserts that renewable energy is now the most cost-effective option and that interpreting the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) to allow municipal procurement is essential for a just energy transition and the realization of sustainable development.

The report documents a systemic 'environment of fear' in South Africa's mining regions, where activists facing environmental and social harms from mining are targeted with physical violence, death threats, and legal harassment. It highlights the failure of the South African government to protect these defenders and the role of municipalities in imposing extra-legal restrictions on peaceful assembly. The document also details the use of SLAPP suits and social media attacks by mining companies to silence opposition, while noting the severe environmental and health costs of mining, including water pollution and respiratory diseases.

The policy brief contends that existing social contracts are broken due to rising inequality and distrust in institutions, which undermines climate resilience. It proposes building an intersectional alliance of climate and inequality champions to redefine a social contract that integrates climate justice, decent work, and human rights to facilitate a fair green transition. The document highlights various global examples of this shift, including citizen assemblies in France and legal challenges in South Africa.

The document examines the role of the private sector in South Africa's just energy transition (JET), specifically focusing on the Mpumalanga province. It highlights a gap in citizen perception, where the private sector is not seen as a key stakeholder in mitigating climate change. By comparing the Govan Mbeki and Bushbuckridge local municipalities, the report demonstrates how public-private partnerships can improve essential services like water and electricity, which in turn enhances climate resilience and public health. It recommends that businesses invest in sustainable infrastructure and community engagement to decentralise climate knowledge and support a low-carbon economy.

The briefing outlines the systemic failures of traditional municipal service delivery in South Africa, where over 7.32 million households in approximately 4,298 informal settlements face severe constraints. It proposes Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) as a paradigm shift based on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), emphasizing decentralization and public-private partnerships. The document establishes a framework of technical, social, and financial 'best practice norms' to ensure sustainability and community ownership. Through case studies like Peco Power (energy), Kaloola (sanitation), Regenize (waste), and Gcwalisa (food/waste), it demonstrates how off-grid and community-led solutions can provide interim services while working toward long-term goals. It concludes by recommending a systems approach to integrate ASD into provincial planning and calling for flexible policy and funding mechanisms.

The Alternative Service Delivery Unit (ASDU), implemented by GreenCape, is seeking a service provider to deliver decentralized energy services to at least 300 households in the Nomzamo Agricultural Village, Mpumalanga. The project, funded by the Embassy of Denmark and the New Zealand High Commission, aims to establish a financially sustainable, community-led energy provision model. The contract runs from 1 March 2024 to 30 September 2024, after which the project is intended to operate as an independent entity. Bidders are evaluated on technical competence, financial proposals, B-BBEE status, and site visit attendance, with a requirement for experience in South African informal settlements.