PROPOSED CESSATION OF PUMPING AND ASSOCIATED DECOMMISSIONING OF THE UNDERGROUND WORKINGS OF THE EZULWINI MINING COMPANY (PTY) LTD (EMC) (COOKE 4 SHAFT), GAUTENG

Submission of the following Final Reports:

• Final Basic Assessment Report (FBAR);
• Environmental Management Programme (EMPr);
• Closure Plan;
• Water Use Licence Amendment Application.

Ezulwini Mining Company (EMC), a subsidiary of Sibanye Gold Limited (Sibanye), trading as Sibanye-Stillwater, proposes the decommissioning of the underground workings of the Ezulwini Mine (Cooke 4 Shaft) located close to Westonaria in Gauteng. In support of the proposed closure of the underground workings, Jones & Wagener (Pty) Ltd Engineering & Environmental Consultants (Jones & Wagener) on behalf of EMC, is hereby submitting the Final Basic Assessment Report (FBAR), Environmental Management Programme (EMPr), Closure Plan and Water Use License Amendment Application in terms of the following applications:

• Application for an Environmental Authorisation to proceed with the proposed cessation of pumping and associated decommissioning of the underground workings of the Ezulwini Operations, as the cost of pumping water from underground amounts to approximately R 13 million per month. A Basic Assessment (BA) process in terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), Act 107 of 1998 is being followed. This process includes the submission of a Basic Assessment Report, Closure Plan and an EMPr in terms of the provisions of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the 2014 EIA Regulations, as amended.
• Application for an amendment to the existing Water Use License (WUL) in terms of Section 50 of the National Water Act, Act 36 of 1998 (NWA)

As part of the Environmental Authorisation application process, two submissions (original and revised) of a Consultation Basic Assessment Report (CBAR) and EMPr, Closure Plan, and WUL Amendment Application were made available for your comment. The original CBAR and associated documents were on public review from 3 April 2017 to 7 May 2017 (this was extended to 21 May 2017 at the request of a stakeholder). The revised CBAR and associated documents were on public review from 16 August 2017 to 15 September 2017.

Comments received from the announcement of the project in November 2016, as well as comments received on the CBAR and the revised version of the CBAR have been recorded in the Comments and Responses Report, as well as in the Stakeholder Correspondence component of the FBAR, which are appendices to the FBAR.
The FBAR, EMPr, Closure Plan and WUL Amendment Application have now been submitted to the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) for their decision.

A copy of the FBAR and associated documents can be downloaded from the links below.Please submit any comments you may have on the FBAR and associated documents directly to Mr Jimmy Sekgale, the case officer for the application at the DMR.

Please also forward any comments submitted to the DMR to the Jones & Wagener public participation office for record keeping purposes.

The following are the next steps in the process:

• The competent authority, DMR will review the FBAR;
• Based on the competent authority’s findings, they will decide whether to grant or refuse Environmental Authorisation for the proposed project and will then issue their decision providing reasons for their decision;
• Stakeholders will be notified of the competent authority’s decision within 12 days of receipt of receiving notification from the DMR;
• Stakeholders will be informed about the details of the appeal process. Any party may appeal the decision taken by the competent authority.

For more information, contact Anelle Lötter, Tel: (012) 667 4860, Email: anelle@jaws.co.za.