Chairperson, we in the IFP supported the original Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act which provides for equitable access and sustainable development of the nation's mineral and petroleum resources. This revolutionary piece of legislation changed the way the mining operations were conducted in this country.
The Bill before us today will complement and enhance the principal Act and align it with the National Environmental Management Act, No 1998. In the past mining activities took place with little or no consideration for the environment and the surrounding communities. The problems that are being experienced today with regard to mining rehabilitation bear testimony to this. I, therefore, cannot stress enough the importance of aligning mining activities with environmental issues. With this Bill the Minister of Minerals and Energy will be the responsible authority for implementing environmental matters in terms of NEMA and environmental legislation that relates to mining activities. The extra powers given to the Minister did create a lot of controversy, but I believe that it is in the best interests of mining activities. This will save a lot of time, cut out a lot of red tape and streamline mining activities.
I do, however, urge the Minister and other responsible authorities to use these new powers responsibly and not let the mining activities occur at the expense of the environment. Mining activities must be conducted responsibly and environmental issues must always be to the fore of our thinking. The IFP supports this Bill. I thank you.