Moratorium

Moratorium Imposed on New Reconnaissance, Exploration and Related Applications in Four Provinces

2011-02-02

Department of Mineral Resources

The department of mineral resources has imposed a moratorium on the processing of all new applications for reconnaissance permits, technical cooperation permits, exploration rights and production rights in certain areas of the Northern Cape, Free State, Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces.

The moratorium is announced in notice 54 of Government Gazette 33988 dated 1 February 2011, takes effect from that date and will remain in force until further notice.

It is made in terms of section 49(1) of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 and affects the processing of applications submitted in terms of sections 74, 76, 79 and 83 of the act.

The notice includes a map indicating the areas concerned.

According to the notice, in the areas specified the moratorium will not affect the processing of applications received before 1 February 2011 in respect of:

· technical cooperation permits;
· exploration rights; and
· production rights.

The notice states that the moratorium has been imposed “having regard to the national interest and the need to promote the sustainable development of the nation’s petroleum resources”.

Sabinet Cape Town Office