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Some Great News in the War to Save Mapungubwe!
Today at 18:41
MEDIA STATEMENT - 10 AUGUST 2010

Coal of Africa issued with compliance notice to cease with illegal environmental activities at Vele Colliery

The Department of Environmental Affairs can confirm that on Thursday, 05 August 2010, its Environmental Management Inspectorate (Green Scorpions) issued a compliance notice to Coal of Africa to cease with activities that are in contravention of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).

The compliance notice instructs Coal of Africa to: cease with all physical construction related activities on the access roads and roads falling within, and outside the mining right area, within 24 hours of issuance of the notice.

The notice further stipulates that utilization of these roads for any purpose must cease in time frames ranging from 24 hours, 48 hours, to 3 days respectively, on receipt of the notice. The mine is also not permitted to increase the current development footprint.

In relation to the constructed storage facility for the above ground storage of a dangerous good, the notice states that physical construction related activities associated with the storage facility and tank must cease within 24 hours. In addition, within 48 hours, the storage tank on the site must be emptied and the fuel removed to a facility that is legally authorised to store such fuel.

The instructions in the notice also requires the immediate cessation (24 hours) with any further activities within the 1:10 flood line and/ or 32 meters from any perennial, non perennial and/or drainage lines of the Limpopo river.

In relation to the constructed water pipeline network installed from the pump system to all the areas (within and outside the mining right area), the notice calls for the immediate cessation (24 hours) of any further installation of the pipeline to any area (either within and/or outside the mining right area). Coal of Africa must also immediately cease using the pipeline (for facilitating the movement of water) until such time as an environmental authorisation has been obtained.

All construction related activities related to the Sludge Dam must stop within 24 hours upon receipt of the compliance notice. The dam may not be utilised for the storage of any water or waste related products until such time as all authorisations have been obtained from both the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Water Affairs.

An independent, accredited environmental consultant or legal specialist must be appointed by Coal of Africa within 5 working days of receipt of the compliance notice to submit a report to the Department within 15 working days assessing the applicability of all relevant environmental legislation to the activities proposed for the site (throughout the construction, operational and decommissioning phases for the activities commenced and proposed for this site).

The Green Scorpions will be monitoring the situation at Vele Colliery.

Failure to comply with the instructions in the notice is a criminal offence and would result in further charges to the criminal investigation that is already underway. Should the mine fail to comply with the instructions, the Department may also approach the High Court for an interdict.

Coal of Africa can object to the compliance notice as well as request a suspension from the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs in relation to all or some of the instructions set out in the compliance notice. Coal of Africa has the option to submit rectification applications to the Department in relation to the illegal activities; however, the instructions in the compliance notice must be complied with pending the outcome of any suspension or objection application to the Minister.

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ON 10 AUGUST 2010

Fantastic, DuQues! What a relief. I've been reading up on Mapungubwe since seeing this post and have been stunned that a mining project was considered for the area in the first place! (Was it Einstein said that human stupidity was infinite?). Signed the petition.

Your media seems a bit slow, 5 days after the event. Still, way faster than Greece...

What are Green Scorpions? Sorry if I'm the only one who doesn't know.

The green scorpions are our local name for qualified people from our department of environmental affairs, who can legally enforce nature related laws. They are almost the same as traffic police, but in a nature sense.

I hope that makes sense!?

I hope that DEA stick to their guns and that the department of minerals and energy do not run over them in the end!

GOOD NEWS!

Thanks for the explanation, Imberbe - makes perfect sense. Wish we had a few of them here!

Really good news!! Lets hope this can be sorted soon!

Signed.

The track record of the Department of Minerals & Energy proof we cannot trust them to do the right things right.

As said above, super super news. Let us hope and pray that this is the beginning of a new outlook on our precious environment. My thanks to all who were and are part of the "struggle" thanks to the Minister and Dept's who have now made their decissions
Cant wait to get back there again.

Limpopo Forest TC 5-9 Sept 2010
Ebb and Flow 1-12 Nov 2010

Not sure if this is correct place for this?

In todays's paper


Coal of Africa shares fall on Vele mine announcement

The group said it has halted some activities at its South African Vele mine in compliance with a government order.
Posted: Wednesday , 11 Aug 2010

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -

Shares in Coal of Africa (CZAJ.J) slipped more than 7 percent on Wednesday after the company said it has halted some activities at its South African Vele mine in compliance with a government order.

Shares in Coal of Africa were down 7.17 percent at 10.35 rand by 1320 GMT, compared with a 1.04 percent fall on the JSE Top-40 index .JTOPI. Coal of Africa is also listed in Sydney and London.

Several environmental groups have appealed to South Africa's mining ministry against granting of a new order mining right for the Vele colliery on concerns that it might increase pollution at Mapungubwe, a World Heritage Site, located near the Kruger National Park, the country's premier national wildlife park.

"The Company maintains that all activities are within the rights of its new order mining right ...the company is nonetheless complying with that notice as required and confirms it has ceased certain activities at Vele," the company said in a statement.

"Both parties are continuing to work together in good faith and the company remains confident that an outcome satisfactory to both parties will be achieved."

Coal of Africa said in April it expected construction at Vele to be completed early in the third quarter of 2010 amid improved international and domestic coal markets.

South Africa is one of the world's top coal exporters, and the Vele colliery in the northern Limpopo province has an estimated resource of 813.5 million tonnes. (Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda)



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