The Minister of Environmental Affairs has, under section 44(1)(a) read with section 24M(3) of the NEMA, published the regulations pertaining to the process to be followed for the lodging and processing of an application for exemption.
Subject to section 24M(1) and (2) of the NEMA, a person may apply in writing to the Minister, the Minister responsible for mineral resources or the MEC, as the case may be, for exemption from a provision of the NEMA, the regulations or any notice issued in terms of the NEMA.