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Provincial government revokes status of part of Mabola Protected Environment.
By Masego Mafata
10 Mar 2021 11:00
The move has been welcomed by those advocating for jobs, while civil society institutions are fighting it due to environmental concerns. Image: Supplied
The move, opens the way to mining in the sensitive grassland and water catchment area, has been welcomed by the Voice Community Representative Council, which says this will bring jobs.
Eight civil society institutions, including the Centre for Environmental Rights, have been fighting to prevent mining in the area.
The Mpumalanga government has revoked the status of the Mabola Protected Environment, in a move which activists fear will open up the way for mining in the area.
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The Mpumalanga government has revoked the status of the Mabola Protected Environment, in a move that activists fear will open up the way for mining in the area.
Former MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs Vusi Shongwe revoked the protected area status for a portion of the Mabola Protected Environment (MPE), a highly sensitive protected grassland and water catchment area.
Zanele Shabangu, head of communication in the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Rural Development, told
GroundUp the decision had been taken “after intense interrogation and consideration of all the facts that were presented before him by the Voice Community, the SA National Botanical Institute (SANBI) and civil rights non-profit organisations.”