Mining

Coal of Africa Ltd (CoAL) says it was forced to suspend some activity at its controversial Vele Colliery in South Africa after NGOs filed an appeal over an environmental permit the company received for the project.

The company says it is preparing for an appeal requesting to continue mining during the appeals process.

In a press statement, the company further states its commitment to continue working closely with the various government departments to ensure compliance with legislation.

Emerging miner, Coal of Africa Limited (CoAL) chief executive officer, John Wallington, says the company will resume activities at its Vele colliery site next week, after the project was on hold for almost a year.

The company was forced to halt activities in August 2010, when it was discovered that development operations did not meet the standards of the National Environmental Management Act.

The Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG) says that Shell is creating the wrong impression by saying shale gas mining is good for South Africa.
 
Coordinator of the group lobbying against drilling for gas in the Karoo, Jonathan Deal, says that, "It is incredible that despite the clear reservations (based on environmental concerns) voiced by Cabinet recently, Shell continues to tour the country touting shale gas mining as something beneficial and good for South Africa."
 

The Tanzania Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TEITI) investigated has unveiled discrepancies of over US$32 million between what the mining companies are paying in form of taxes and royalties and the actual amount that country’s government received.

The organisation says that the 12 mining and gas companies paid a total of US$121.4 million against US$89.1 million that the government agencies received.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is speaking to the wrong person in asking the Department of Mineral Resources to intervene in the plight of the Grootvlei mine in Springs in the Ekurhuleni Municipality.
 
The department spokesperson, Musa Zondi, points out that, "It is not an ownerless mine. If it was an ownerless mine, then it becomes very clear what our responsibility is, but the owners are there, we know who they are."
 

Environmental and rights groups says that separate and unequal environmental rules for mines are ‘no longer defensible’.
The organisations have complained that they are being sidelined from early efforts to overhaul mining laws.

The 13 groups, including Lawyers for Human Rights, WWF South Africa and the Endangered Wildlife Trust, says the existing rules gave inadequate time to assess the environmental impacts of mines and imposed penalties that are so low as to be no disincentive whatsoever for mining companies.

The South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) says the African National Congress’ (ANC) job creation targets are unrealistic as many of the sectors earmarked for creating employment have been shedding jobs for years.
 
The organisation says that ANC secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe, identified ‘mining output and beneficiation’ as a sector in which 140 000 jobs will be created by 2020.