AMELIA DE MILANDER
PORT ELIZABETH. – Belanghebbers, inwoners en omgewingsbewustes wat tans in afwagting sit vir die minister van minerale en energie, me. Buyelwa Sonjica, se besluit oor die toelating van sandmynbedrywighede langs dieWildekus, gaan nog tot minstens einde Februarie moet wag. [Read more...]
Posted on January 28th, 2008 by Louis
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January 10, 2008 Edition 1
Tony Carnie
A major announcement about a dune mining venture on the Wild Coast is expected from Buyelwa Sonjica’s Mining Ministry early next week, setting the tone for future development and conservation along the country’s wildest and best-preserved coastline.
Though Sonjica’s decision centres on the environmental impacts of industrial development – a matter which ordinarily falls under the jurisdiction of the environment minister – the final call in this case will be made by a ministry which has signalled its determination to act as both player and referee by promoting mining and regulating the environmental consequences.
While everything from the building of nuclear power stations, hazardous chemical factories, petrol refineries, steel mills or cellphone towers has to be assessed and authorised by the national or provincial environment ministries, mining remains a “special case” – despite long-standing attempts to exercise more stringent control over these highly destructive activities. [Read more...]
Posted on January 10th, 2008 by Louis
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“Jethro Tull rocks for the Wild Coast” was the title of a concert tour in November by Ian Anderson, head of Jethro Tull, and his band. In cooperation with the Wilderness Foundation, NatureLife-International and the Endangered Wildlife Trust they played three concerts in South Africa. Read More
Posted on December 3rd, 2007 by Louis
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November 30, 2007 Edition 1
Tony Carnie
THE future of the controversial Xolobeni sand dune mining venture on the Wild Coast has been cast into doubt, with a mining media report that the project had been put on hold.
Martin Creamer’s Mining Weekly reported in its online edition this week that the Australian company, Mineral Commodities, MRC, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Transworld Energy and Minerals, were understood to be planning a meeting soon to review whether to proceed with the mining rights application.
Neither Mark Caruso, Managing Director of MRC, nor John Barnes, General Manager of Transworld Energy and Minerals, could be reached for comment yesterday. [Read more...]
Posted on December 3rd, 2007 by Louis
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Guy Rogers ENVIRONMENT & TOURISM EDITOR
THE proposed Xolobeni dune mine on the Pondoland coast will have a
significant negative affect on local tourism, according to a draft
assessment of the mining project commissioned by the developer.
Undertaken by Johannesburg- based consultancy GCS, the draft
environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been made available for
public comment at various libraries and schools, and also online.
The proposed Xolobeni site is situated on the north-east tip of the
Eastern Cape coast in the Pondoland area of the Wild Coast. It
stretches 22km from the Mtentu River in the south to the Mzamba River
in the north.
[Read more...]
Posted on November 14th, 2007 by Louis
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WILD COAST MINING – FOREIGN MINING COMPANY GAMBLES WITH THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S RURAL POOR.
For from providing further clarity on the proposed mining on the Wild coast, a recent focus group meeting held at Port Edward between SWC and GCS, the consultants undertaking the ‘Xolobeni mining’ EIA, has raised more questions than ever about the legitimacy of the mining process.
The meeting revealed a huge lack of detail in the planning domain, making it exceedingly difficult for the public get a clear idea of exactly what the project entailed, or of any impacts it might have.
‘It is hugely worrying that a foreign mining company is gambling with the livelihoods and future of numerous rural communities and one of South Africa’s most pristine natural resource treasures, [Read more...]
Posted on September 27th, 2007 by valpayn
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ILLEGAL COTTAGES RULING SHOWS WILD COAST IS NOT FOR GRABS.
12 September 2007
Sustaining the Wild Coast (SWC) welcomes the recent Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that upholds the order of demolition of illegal cottages built along the Wild Coast.
SWC is of the opinion that the judgment helps provide legal clarity to what was a ‘grey area’ in the legislation governing that region. That is that the Environmental Conservation Decree No 9 of 1992, legislated under the rule of then Transkei leader General Bantu Holomisa as a conservation measure for the Wild Coast, still has legal status [Read more...]
Posted on September 23rd, 2007 by valpayn
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