The management of the rehabilitation guarantees that mining companies are legally obliged to lodge needs to be interrogated in the light of former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s observation that the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has allowed Gupta coal mining company Tegeta to bank the money in round robin fashion. This money is crucial to the restoration of Mother Earth to its former self after mining comes to an end and should be securely ringfenced until needed, with accrued interest monitored. The DMR must be challenged and instructed to take its cue from organisations like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative to improve transparent reporting and good governance.