The President has assented to the National Environmental Management: Laws Amendment Act 25 of 2014, which amends the NEMA, the NEMWA and the National Environmental Management Amendment Act 62 of 2008 with effect from 2 September 2014.
The Amendment Act amends and inserts various provisions in the NEMA, including, inter alia,-
- The appointment of environmental mineral resource inspectors by the Minister of Mineral Resources;
- The restriction on granting of condonation in respect of the time periods associated with appeals lodged in terms of the NEMA; and
- Enabling the Director-General of Mineral Resources to issue a directive in terms of section 28 of the NEMA.
The Amendment Act also amends and inserts various provisions in the NEMWA, including, inter alia-
- Enabling the Minister of Environmental Affairs to prohibit or restrict the granting of a waste management licence in a specified geographical area; and
- Providing that the Minister of Mineral Resources is the licencing authority for a waste management activity which relates to, inter alia, prospecting and exploration or residue deposits and residue stockpiles.
NB: One of the major amendments affected by the Amendment Act is that the NEMWA is now also applicable to residue deposits and residue stockpiles.
