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 the administration. The Department has resuscitated the amendment of the MPRDA to include tailing dams and an Amendment Bill will be submitted to the Legislature in due course.