Social Justice Activism

the health and safety concerns of workers and the need for land rehabilitation during
and after mining operations. In 1993, the Act was amended to require each new mine to
have an Environmental Management Program Report (EMPR) prepared before
breaking ground. These EMPRs were intended to force mining companies to outline all
the possible environmental impacts of the particular mining operation and to make
provision for environmental management.
In October 1998, the Department of Minerals and Energy released a White Paper
entitled A Minerals and Mining Policy for South Africa, which included a section on
Environmental Management.
The White Paper states "Government, in recognition of the responsibility of the State as
custodian of the nation's natural resources, will ensure that the essential development of
the country's mineral resources will take place within a framework of sustainable
development and in accordance with national environmental policy, norms, and
standards". It adds that any environmental policy "must ensure a cost-effective and
competitive mining industry."
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