[miningmx.com] — A MEMBER of parliament’s portfolio committee on
mineral resources has poured cold water on expectations that amendments to the
Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) would be passed by the
legislative assembly before the end of 2012.
She also warned that the revised mining charter of 2010 shouldn’t be regarded as a
finished product.
ANC-MP Faith Bikani said mining legislation wouldn’t be ratified prior to the ANC’s
elective conference scheduled for December. The ruling party’s policy conference last
week accepted the proposals contained in the State Intervention in the Mining
Sector (Sims) document which, among other issues, calls for a resource rent tax, a
mining super ministry as well as the classification of strategic minerals.
These proposals are to be discussed by ANC branches and formulated as policy
proposals for the December conference in Mangaung.
Bikani, who was speaking at the latest Mining for Change seminar in Johannesburg
on Tuesday, said parliament was still conducting public hearings on the charter and
that it wouldn’t be bound by a deadline.
“It is still being refined [and] it still needs more input,’ said Bikani. “We would
rather take our time than rushing towards a policy document that is not benefitting
our future.’
She said parliament would have to take the ANC’s decisions related to the Sims
report into consideration. “That document has to be refined and discussed at [ANC]
branch level, especially those in the mining communities,’ she said. “Their input is
just as important for us in parliament.’
Minister of Mineral Resources, Susan Shabangu, told Miningmx in May the
proposed amendments to the MPRDA would be submitted to Cabinet in July at the
latest, with the subsequent parliamentary process to be completed before year-end.
“We’ll go on to do our work as government,’ Shabangu said at the time. “We are
confident we won’t see many changes [in lieu of the Sims report].’
Bikani, however, said parliament would probably only be able to ratify changes to
the MPRDA in 2013. Shabangu first announced the revision of the act in the third
quarter of 2010, a process that was initially scheduled for completion in 2011.
