LHR notes the statements released by the Chamber of Mines and the DMR

Date: 19/02/2018


LHR notes the statements released by the Chamber of Mines and the Department of Mineral Resources regarding postponement of the 2017 Mining Charter case by agreement between those two parties

Lawyers for Human Rights notes the statements released by the Chamber of Mines and the Department of Mineral Resources regarding postponement of the 2017 Mining Charter case by agreement between those two parties.  There are seven other applicants in the case, none of whom have been formally engaged by the respondent in this matter, the Department of Mineral Resources. They have accordingly entered into no such agreement.

LHR in this matter represents the Sefikile, Lesethleng, Babina Phuthi Ba Ga-Makola and Kgatlu communities, which all host mining operations on their land. They will ask the court to rule that a new Mining Charter be drafted, and that these communities and others like them be properly consulted in the development of that document to ensure their rights and interests are protected.

“It is unfortunate that this agreement between the Chamber and the government appears to extend the pattern of exclusion that prompted our clients to intervene in this matter in the first place”, said Michael Clements, head of the Environmental Rights Programme at Lawyers for Human Rights.  “The court allowed this intervention on the basis that our clients and the other community co-applicants have a direct interest in this matter, and so it is up to the court  to determine if the case can be postponed”.

The 2017 Mining Charter case is set down for 10h00 at the Pretoria High Court.

For more information please contact:

Michael Clements, Enviromental Rights Programme Manager on 011 339 1960

OR

Louise Du Plessis, Land and Housing Programme Manager on 012 320 2943

OR

Carol Mohlala, Media and Communications Manager on 079 238 9826

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