Parliament, Saturday, 1 March 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources concluded its week-long oversight visits yesterday to coal mines in Mpumalanga and the Sasol operations in Secunda and Sasolburg.
The committee visited various coal mines in Mpumalanga’s Nkangala District and met with management of the mines, labour unions, community members, traditional leaders, and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.
The oversight focused on the mining companies’ operations, challenges, compliance with social labour plans (SLPs), and strategies to mitigate air pollution, among other things.
Community and traditional leaders accused some companies of failing to comply with SLPs. They told the committee that the companies were committing to the SLPs just to get mining rights but did not intend to implement the agreements when they started making profits.
The committee Chairperson, Mr Mikateko Mahlaule, raised concerns about the alleged non-compliance and said it was unacceptable for companies to make promises and commitments just to get the mining rights and fail to live up to them.
The committee was also concerned about reports of mass retrenchment of workers from coal mines in the province. The labour unions told the committee that mining companies in the province were retrenching permanent employees and pushing them to be employed through contracts.
The committee commended Sasol and Seriti Mining for complying with their SLPs. The two companies also showed the committee evidence of the community developments that they invested in as part of their SLPs.
During a visit to Sasol, the committee heard about the company’s commitment to mitigating air pollution and complying with all environmental laws and regulations relating to air pollution resulting from their operations.
The Chairperson said Sasol has an important role in the country’s economy and the petroleum industry. “The country cannot afford Sasol failing. Continue doing what you are doing. If you can expand to fill the gap left by the closed refineries, please do it. Make profits increase employment, increase the bursaries that you offer South Africans, train more farmers, and continue to develop the communities,” said the committee Chairperson during a visit to the Sasol operations in Sasolburg, Free State.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES, MR MIKATEKO MAHLAULE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the committee Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Sakhile Mokoena
Cell: 081 705 2130
E-mail: smokoena@parliament.gov.za
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