Shabangu caught in ‘legislative snare’

[miningmx.com] – SUSAN Shabangu, South Africa’s mines minister, was caught in a ‘legislative snare’, according to BDLive which cited Centre for Environmental Rights director Melissa Fourie.

Fourie said Shabangu’s minerals resources department was bound to accept mining prospecting applications over the Chrissiesmeer area in Mpumalanga province which is rich in coal.

However, the area is ecologically sensitive and millions of rands was being spent on protecting it, and in prospecting for coal. There was nothing the minister could do to stop applications to prospect as the miners were also working within the law.