National Environment Management Act

Our autocratic demockery:

The level of collusion and deceit we've seen so far between TEM/Xolco and various government departments and state organs leaves me in no uncertainty that the amendments are related to the Xolobeni Mineral Sands application... amongst others.

Comments are due by tomorrow (2 November 2007), and the amendment bill can be downloaded here:

www.environment.co.za

I've only given it a cursory glance, but basically the amendment appears to remove the mining industry from the NEMA (National Environment Management Act) and places overriding authority and discretion with the minister of mineral affairs...

It seems further to vitiate environmental controls in favor of the commercial consequences - and allows decisions to be made by any minister or MEC . . . without public consultation.

Autocratic doesn't even begin to describe it.