DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NCOP
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO.: 130
DATE OF PUBLICATION:
130. Ms S S Chen (DA-Gauteng) to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises:
Whether a certain companyâs (name furnished) R230 million rehabilitation
liability from Port Nolloth to the Orange River Mouth is guaranteed by the
Government; if not, why not; if so, (a) when will the rehabilitation
process be started, (b) what will be the duration of the rehabilitation
project and (c) what are the further relevant details? CW157E
REPLY
Yes, Alexkor has an established potential rehabilitation liability under
the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act which, if not fully
executed by the time that land mining rights are transferred to the
Richtersveld community, will require a guarantee from the State for
outstanding historical environmental rehabilitation in terms of the Deed of
Settlement signed with the Richtersveld community. Such a guarantee will be
quantifiable and exclude rehabilitation liabilities for areas and
infrastructure to be used in continued mining after the transfer of mining
rights to the Richtersveld community.
(a)(b)(c): Alexkor has submitted an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to
the Department of Mineral Resources for approval. In the meantime, Alexkor
has in place a dedicated team conducting rehabilitation to take remedial
action in certain areas to minimise the environmental regression on an
ongoing basis. Alexkor has been contributing towards a Rehabilitation Trust
Fund. The EMP will serve as a guideline to address the historical
environmental disturbances. The EMP makes provision for delays in
rehabilitation of those areas still to be mined in future. Areas to be
rehabilitated will be identified in consultation with the Richtersveld
community based on the communityâs land mining plan once this is finalised.
At this stage it is difficult to predict the duration of the rehabilitation
activities.