[miningmx.com] – THE Chamber of Mines said the consolidation of a court application seeking to declare the mining charter unconstitutional with its own application for a declaratory order regarding an aspect of the document would be unhelpful to the mining sector.
Malan Scholes is seeking to consolidate the two court actions, but Roger Baxter, CEO of the chamber, said the delay caused by the consolidation would prolong uncertainty in the sector and was not valid as his organisation was seeking an interpretation of the mining charter, not its invalidation.
The South African government is seeking an out of court agreement with the chamber on the matter it is challenging: whether the ‘once-empowered, always-empowered principle’ is supported by the mining charter.
“The Chamber considers itself a partner in the charter. The chamber has been party to its development and implementation over the past 12 years and intends to continue in playing this role,” said Baxter in a statement. “We see it as a necessary and positive feature of the process of transforming the industry,” he said.
