The need for regulatory certainty and competitiveness remain critical to attracting investment into mining, South Africa’s key economic driver. Read on page 20 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the ten-year-old Mining Charter creating some consistency but the responsibility for continuity lying with the new Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi. Ministry changes and policy changes have tended to go hand-in-hand, which has given rise to the current regulatory uncertainty. South Africa’s mining laws and policies also need constant benchmarking against global best practice in order to give the country clear insight of its position on the global competitiveness table. The message that mining can provide the growth and development that benefits all South Africans needs to be constantly communicated across the length and breadth of the country to gain the full support of all stakeholders.

The National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Act (Nemla 3), which forms part of a suite of new laws that come together to form “one environmental system” for mining and related activities, is being scheduled for implementation on December 8. This will provide the necessary time for Nemla 3 to dovetail with sections of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act Amendment Bill, the new environmental-impact assessment regulations, new mine closure stipulations as well as amendments to the water and waste laws. Read on page 12 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the Department of Mineral Resources retaining its competence to regulate the environmental management of the mining industry and of the Department of Environmental Affairs remaining the appeal authority for appeals lodged against decisions by the Minister of Mineral Resources and delegated officials.

A new coordinated move to root out illegal mining has been agreed. Read on page 14 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources undertaking to work closely with the Department of Mineral Resources and law enforcement agencies to root out what is seen as an activity that is destabilising the main driver of the South African economy. Deputy Mineral Resources Minister Godfrey Oliphant wants to see stability by December and eradication by February. Illegal mining is reportedly also underpinning the smuggling of women for sex work and the creation of an informal banking system.

The world’s first large-scale power station equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology has been commissioned in Canada. Read on page 8 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the CCS system having the capacity to trap a million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) a year, for injection into oilfields to enhance oil recovery. The 110 MW-retrofit of SaskPower’s Boundary Dam coal-fired power plant, in Saskatchewan, began capturing CO₂ in September. Without significant deployment of CCS, the Inter- national Energy Agency believes that more than two-thirds of proven fossil fuel reserves may not be commercialised before 2050.