SERITI COAL (PTY) LTD. – NEW DENMARK COLLIERY – NOTICE OF THE APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION AND WATER USE LICENSE FOR THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF THREE DIRTY WATER PIPELINES FROM THE TUTUKA POWER STATION, CENTRAL SHAFT SILO POOLS A AND STOCKYARD DAM TO BRINE PONDS A & B IN LEKWA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY SITUATED IN MPUMALANGA

This advertisement gives notice to potential Interested and Affected Parties (“I&APs”) about where information can be obtained in respect of the application for environmental authorisation (“EA”) and water use license (“WUL”), as well as the opportunity that I&APs have, to comment on the Draft Basic Assessment Report (“BAR”).

BACKGROUND AND LOCATION OF THE PROJECT

Seriti Coal (Pty) Ltd: New Denmark Colliery (hereafter referred to as “NDC”) is a coal mine situated in the Mpumalanga Province, near Standerton. The mine proposes to construct three dirty water pipelines, one from the central shaft silo pool A, the second from stockyard dam and the third from Tutuka Power Station to Brine ponds pools A and B. These pipelines will facilitate the movement of affected water from the underground mining operations since the volume of water treated by the Tutuka Power Station fluctuates and can no longer consistently meet the treatment needs that New Denmark requires. The main pollution control dam (Stockyard Dam) is at capacity and cannot accommodate mining operations hence the need to utilise Brine Ponds A and B. The property description is portions 1 and 2 of Racesbult 352 IS, Portion 6 of Uitkyk 339 IS, Portions 5, 8, and 9 of Slagkraal 353 IS, Slagkraal 353 IS, Portions 7, 10 and 19 of Pretorius Vley 374 IS. Due to the extent and nature of the activities associated with the proposed project, the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (“EAP”) has identified that a Basic Assessment (“BA”) and Water Use License (“WUL”) process is required in terms of the National Environmental Management Act Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, GNR.982 dated 2014, as amended and the National Water Act, 1998 (“NWA”) respectively.

LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS

Legislation associated with the application

A Basic Assessment Report (“BAR”) will be required in compliance with the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No.107 of 1998) (“NEMA”) and the NEMA Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 (GN R982 of 4 December 2014) (“GN R982”), as amended, for the authorisation of listed activities contained in the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations Listing Notice 1 and 3 of 2014 (GN R983 and R985 of 4 December 2014 (amended 2017, and 2021) (“GNR 983” and “GNR 985”), as amended.

Listed activities applied to the application.

• Listing Notice 1 activities 10, 12 and 19.
• Listing Notice 3 activities 12 and 14

Applications submitted to competent authority.

An application for Environmental Authorisation was submitted to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (“DMRE”) on 08 April 2025.

Given the nature of the construction of the pipelines and the potential impacts associated with constructing the pipelines above and below ground, a Water Use Licence (“WUL”) in terms the National Water Act, 1998 Section 21(c), (i), (g) is required, from the Department of Water and Sanitation (“DWS”). The following water activities will be applied for:

• Section 21 (c) of the Act: impeding or diverting the flow of water in a watercourse.
• Section 21 (i) of the Act: altering the bed, banks, course or characteristics of a watercourse.
• Section 21 (g) of the Act: Disposing of waste in a manner which may detrimentally impact on a water resource

An application in terms of the National Water Act, 1998 (“NWA”), was opened with the Department of Water and Sanitation (“DWS”) on the 19 July 2023.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

South Africans have a right to be informed about potential decisions that may affect them and to be afforded an opportunity to influence those decisions. This advertisement forms part of a Public Participation Process as part of the project. It describes the various components of the project to enable I&APs to get a better understanding of the potential environmental and social impacts that could be expected from the proposed project. It also outlines the process and the opportunities for the public to become involved during the study.

Register as an Interested and Affected Party (I&AP)

NDC has appointed Shangoni Management Services (Pty) Ltd. as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner to undertake the Environmental Authorisation and Water Use License application and stakeholder engagement process. You may register as an I&AP. To register as an I&AP to this project, or to obtain more information or submit comments, please request a Registration form from Shangoni and return it together with any comments to Shangoni at the details provided below.

Availability of the draft Basic Assessment Report (“BAR”)

The draft BAR will be made available to the public for review for a period of 30 days from 08 April 2025 to 12 May 2025 on Shangoni’s website (www.shangoni.co.za), the NDC security entrance and the Seriti Hub on 24 Krogh Street in Standerton.

Where to obtain more information

To obtain additional information please contact the EAP at the details provided below:

Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP): Shangoni Management Services (Pty) Ltd.

Contact person: Nirvasha Rajdeo

Tel: 012 807 7036

E-mail: nirvasha@shangoni.co.za

Fax: 012 807 1014

Postal Address: P. O. Box 74726, Lynnwood Ridge, 0040