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What this course is about

The National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA) is South Africa's framework environmental law. It sets the principles every organ of state must follow, governs how environmental authorisations for mining are decided, and gives every person duties and protections. This course explains NEMA in plain language, so that people can take part in decisions and know where to turn when the environment is harmed. Its last module applies these rules to the air people breathe, the water they use and the land they live on, including old mine sites that no longer have an owner.

Who it is for

Community members near mines and legacy mine sites, ward committee members, community monitors, environmental and civic organisations, mineworkers, local business owners, municipal officials and company staff who want a clear, procedural understanding of how environmental decisions about mining are made and challenged.

What you will be able to do

  1. Explain what NEMA is, name its key principles and say who decides mining environmental authorisations.
  2. Describe how environmental authorisation and public participation work, and how to appeal a decision.
  3. Explain the duty of care, emergency reporting, whistle-blower protection and legal standing under NEMA.
  4. Explain why mines must make financial provision for rehabilitation and closure, and how to report environmental harm.
  5. Describe how mine dust and water pollution can affect people, what the dust control rules require, and why legacy, derelict and ownerless mine sites remain a risk.

Preview: the first two minutes

Module 1 · Introduction · 2 min

An older farmer watches his cattle drink from a clear stream at the edge of a rural village.

Animation (fictional). Near Kopano, a farmer, a mine environmental officer and a school principal each look at the same stream. The farmer sees water for cattle, the officer sees a permit condition, and the principal sees a place where children play. The narrator asks: which law brings all three views into one decision?

Modules

  1. Module 1 · 18 min

    What NEMA is and its principles

    Explain what NEMA is, name its key principles and say who decides mining environmental authorisations.

  2. Module 2 · 18 min

    Environmental authorisations and public participation

    Describe how environmental authorisation and public participation work, and how to appeal a decision.

  3. Module 3 · 18 min

    Duties and protections for everyone

    Explain the duty of care, emergency reporting, whistle-blower protection and legal standing under NEMA.

  4. Module 4 · 18 min

    Paying for closure and enforcing the law

    Explain why mines must make financial provision for rehabilitation and closure, and how to report environmental harm.

  5. Module 5 · 18 min

    Air, water and land

    Describe how mine dust and water pollution can affect people, what the dust control rules require, and why legacy, derelict and ownerless mine sites remain a risk.

Go deeper

Optional, outside the 90 minutes.

Sources

Understanding NEMA | ISD Academy