Molewa lifts colliery suspension

Environment Minister Edna Molewa has lifted the suspension of the integrated water use licence of Vele Colliery's coal mining operations in Limpopo.

Her office said this was done pending an appeal lodged with the Water Tribunal by a coalition opposed to the mine operating there.

"The lifting of the suspension of the licence of the Limpopo Coal Company comes after the minister has given due consideration to the interests of all affected parties in the matter."

Vele Colliery's operations are located in Musina in northern Limpopo, near Mapungubwe, which is on the United Nations' World Heritage List.

The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape is regarded as the largest kingdom of the African sub-continent before it was abandoned in the 14th century.

Remains of palace sites and settlements have been found in the area.

The licence was first issued by the department of water affairs to the Limpopo Coal Company on March 29 2011, but the appeal was lodged.

The company asked the minister to consider lifting the suspension because of the length of time the appeal would take to finalise and the negative effects of operational delays.

"The minister, after consulting widely on the matter concluded that the strict conditions attached to the licence are adequate," her office said.

The conditions included that the mine should set up a monitoring forum comprising water specialists, interested and affected parties, civil society and local government.

The daily quantity of water used had to be measured and the total recorded on the last day of each month.

"The department of water affairs is therefore of the view that the concerns raised by the parties are covered by the licence conditions," the ministry said.

The appellants had been given an opportunity to be directly involved in the monitoring of the water resources during the operation of the mine.

The coalition appealing the granting of the licence claims the department had based its decision about a water reserve estimate on inaccurate information.

It contends that the company's proposed water use would not be efficient or beneficial or in the public interest.

The coalition argues that there has been inadequate assessment of the risks posed by acid mine drainage, and that the department did not give adequate consideration to the concerns of other authorities over the proposed colliery.