Ensuring that we maintain legal compliance at all operations is a priority for Petra, given that it is essential to maintaining our licence to operate
The mining industry in South Africa is highly regulated in terms of its social and environmental performance, with companies having to uphold stringent standards, which in some cases go beyond the requirements of many international best practice guidelines, in order to maintain their licence to operate.
The primary legislation governing exploration and mining activities in South Africa is the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 28 of 2002 in combination with the National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998. From an ESG perspective, the holder of a mining right in South Africa must also comply with the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996, and must submit and have approved the following documents:
• an Environmental Management Programme (“EMP”) that outlines the environmental management processes to be followed during operations, as well as the rehabilitation to take place before a closure certificate will be applied for;
• a Social and Labour Plan (“SLP”) that defines an operation’s obligations in terms of social, labour and community issues. The SLP of an operation forms the basis for its activities and performance indicators over a five-year cycle, following which a new SLP needs to be prepared following consultation with stakeholders and thereafter approved by the Department of Minerals and Energy (“DMRE”); and
• a Mine Works Programme (“MWP”) that outlines various mandatory aspects around the applicants, and how the resource will be developed and mined in terms of the mining right requested.