NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NUMBER 169
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 20 NOVEMBER 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NUMBER 26)
Mr R A Lees (DA-KZN) to ask the Minister of Minister of Mineral Resources:
(Interdepartmental transfer on 20 November 2009)
What are the reasons for holding back the conversion of a mining license of
a certain company (name furnished)? CW262E
REPLY
The provisions of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002
(Act 28 of 2002) (MPRDA) does not make provision for the conversion of
mining licenses. However, items 6 and 7 of Schedule II of the MPRDA
empowers the Minister to convert old order prospecting rights and old order
mining rights if the holder of the relevant old order prospecting or old
order mining right has complied with the prescribed criteria. The company
referred to in the question is aware of the reasons â the DMR has engaged
and is still engaging the company on the outstanding issues.
It would therefore, not be proper nor correct, irregular and contrary to
the principle of administrative justice to announce to the world the
reasons for not finalizing a conversion application lodged by any company.
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