• Civil rights group calls for rejection of revised environmental report and warns of legal action

AfriForum has accused a mining company and government officials of breaking the law by secretly changing important documents linked to a proposed coal mine near the southern border of the Kruger National Park.

In a media statement released on Monday, the organisation said it had sent a legal letter to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and environmental consultants Kimopax. The letter demands answers about how a revised Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), dated March 2025, was prepared and submitted without informing all interested parties.

“This is procedural sabotage,” said Lambert de Klerk, AfriForum’s Manager for Environmental Affairs. “One cannot conduct a public meeting in secret, revise documents behind closed doors, and then only notify certain individuals. This is unlawful, unethical, and deeply disrespectful to civil society.”

AfriForum, which is officially registered as an interested and affected party in the Tenbosch Mining application process, says it was never notified about the meeting or the revised documents.

According to the group, this is a clear breach of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA). These laws require full transparency and fair public participation in decisions that affect the environment.

AfriForum’s legal letter also refers to Sections 24 and 33 of the South African Constitution, which protect the right to a healthy environment and fair administrative action.

The organisation is now calling on the DMRE to reject the current version of the EIA and to suspend any further decision-making until a transparent and lawful public participation process takes place. It has also asked for confirmation on whether the March version was officially received and considered by the department.

“The environmental consultant is not acting independently. This appears to be a coordinated effort to keep opposing voices out of the room and establish this coal mine under the radar. AfriForum will not allow that,” said De Klerk.

The March 2025 version of the EIA reportedly includes major changes that were not shared with the public. AfriForum says this is more evidence of a process designed to avoid opposition.

In the meantime, the group is preparing formal submissions and has warned it will take the matter to court if needed.

“The environmental and procedural damage already caused by this application must not be allowed to set a precedent for future mining in sensitive ecological areas. The public has a right to be heard, not excluded,” De Klerk added.

AfriForum is still waiting for a response from the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George. The organisation says the Department’s silence is unacceptable, given its responsibility to protect South Africa’s natural heritage.