Considering that his department spent R500 000 on a report that recommended that the national nuclear regulator be removed from his department and placed within the former department of environmental affairs, and noting the significant amount spent on the specified report and its findings, (a) what are the reasons that the nuclear regulator remains within his department and (b) by what date will it be (i) moved to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and/or (ii) constituted as an independent agency within the Government?
The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) was established as an independent Regulator through the National Nuclear Regulator Act 47 of 1999 (the NNR Act). This had evolved from Council for Nuclear Safety (CNS) that was housed within the then Atomic Energy Corporation (AEC), currently the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa). The NNR plays a central role in ensuring safety in the use and handling ...
Whether he has thought about investing in alternative energy sources like wind, solar energy production and battery storage, especially for government buildings and educational facilities that do not use much electricity, with the intention of feeding leftover energy to the Eskom energy grid; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is investing in energy efficiency in public buildings and infrastructure, and this covers high-energy efficient lights, heating, ventilation and cooling systems, and alternative energy such as hydrogen fuel cells. The energy efficiency measures are being implemented in various buildings of the municipalities, provincial and State-Owned Buildings with projects underway at the Lahae La SARS 9n Brooklyn, Tshwane ...
What are the reasons that (a)(i) Engen and (ii) Sapref are issued a licence to import fuels when they are no longer manufacturing and/or refining and (b) the Government on its own capacity cannot take over?
a) In terms of guidelines governing the import and export of crude oil, petroleum products and blending components every licensed manufacturer and wholesalers are allowed to import and export petroleum products.
South Africa is a net importer of petroleum product, meaning that even when these refineries were operating, they were expected to import certain portion of petroleum product.
b) There is nothing stopping state owned ...
Whether he has been informed that Sasol has been trying to sell Natref; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, is the Central Energy Fund as it is the main entity on energy involved in this?
The Department has not received any communication regarding the matter under question, we therefore cannot comment on Sasol’s intention to sell its stake at Natref.
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(1)What are the reasons that his department did not use the same energy it is using on the Shell Wild Coast matter and lodge as many appeals as possible having understood the complexities and possible dangers associated with mining tailing dumps;
(2) whether he has found that the Jagersfontein incident could have been avoided had his department taken heed of the cries of the community in relation to the activities occurring in the mine and appealed the court’s ruling; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
The Minister took Office in 2018, almost 11 years after the Free State High Court pronounced that his department cannot exercise jurisdiction under the MPRDA in relation to the tailings dumps in question. Given the lapse of time and considering that the ruling prompted the legislature to consider amending the MPRDA to remedy the legislative lacuna as far back as 2013 when it ...
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Given that more than a month has passed since the Jagersfontein tragedy, during which the lives of residents were abruptly destroyed, and that his department chose not to challenge a court ruling that transferred responsibility for tailing dams to the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation, despite the fact that such dams had mining-related activities and consequences, what (a) are the reasons that his department did not challenge the ruling and (b) steps has he taken to address the issue in light of the negative effects of its previous inaction?
The Minister took Office in 2018, almost 11 years after the Free State High Court pronounced that his department cannot exercise jurisdiction under the MPRDA in relation to the tailings dumps in question. Given the lapse of time the Department had attempted to remedy the situation through an amendment which was adopted in 2013, however the Bill lapsed with the end of term of ...
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(1)With reference to the complaints of dust pollution in the town Koingnaas in the Kamiesberg municipal area due to the dried-out tailings dams, what mining company will be responsible for rehabilitation now that West Coast Resources are in business rescue;
(2) whether his department has done an impact study to establish the impact of the dust pollution on residents; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether his department intends to enforce rehabilitation; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, by what date will his department render assistance in this regard;
(4) whether any mining rehabilitation has been done in the Kamiesberg area; if not, why not; if, so, (a) where and (b) by what company? NW5221E
(1) The Mining right is still active; therefore, West Coast Resources will still be liable and expected to carry-out the rehabilitation and environmental monitoring. In this case, part of the responsibility of the Business Rescue Practitioner will be handling the environmental obligation management as required by the National Environmental Management Act, (No.107 of 1998) (as amended).
(2) The inspection was conducted by the Department ...
What is the (a) total number of staff employed and/or provided as departmental support in (i) his and (ii) the Deputy Minister’s private offices and (b)(i) job title and (ii) annual remuneration package of each specified person?
a) i 17
ii 8
b) i & ii see below spreadsheet.
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COMPONENT DESCRIPTION
|
JOB TITLE DESCRIPTION
|
SALARY LEVEL
|
Total Package
|
|
OFFICE OF THE MINISTER
|
SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE MINISTER
|
16
|
R1 739 784.00
|
|
OFFICE OF THE MINISTER
|
SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE MINISTER
|
16
|
R1 054 311.00
|
|
OFFICE OF THE MINISTER
|
DOMESTIC WORKER
|
3
|
R170 474,58
|
|
OFFICE OF THE MINISTER
|
DOMESTIC WORKER ... |
Considering that mining companies are demolishing houses in Merafong City Local Municipality instead of donating such houses to the community, due to the shortage of residential availability, what are the reasons that he is allowing this to happen instead of donating houses to the Department of Human Settlements in order to deal with the shortage of houses?
Sibanye Stillwater has a mining right for Driefontein operations which is located within the Merafong Local Municipal jurisdiction. The mine has four (4) mining villages under this mining right namely; Letsatsing, Phomolong, East village and West village. These villages comprise of approximately 1 367 housing units collectively currently occupied by the mine employees. The mine is currently negotiating with the Merafong Local Municipality (“MCLM”) ...
(a) What amount of strategic fuel stock is currently held by (i) his department and/or (ii) private entities, (b) in what form is the stock held and (c) what actions have been taken and/or contemplated to ensure that a security of supply of refined petroleum products is sufficient to meet the demand of the market in the Republic as it is experiencing a perfect storm with regard to refined petroleum products, arising from inadequate port infrastructure, ongoing strike action and labour issues in the ports, failure to have any kind of strategic reserve of refined products and a shortage of refining capacity due to the closure of various refineries?
a) The Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) until recently held (i) 10, 023 million barrels (Ten Million and 23 Thousand barrels) of strategic stocks on behalf of the state.
The current stock is down by approximately 0,3 million barrels ( 300, 000 barrels). Approximately 300 000 barrels was recently sold to Total-energies for processing at the Natref refinery. The sale followed a force majeure that had ...
