Notice has been served of the launch of a ‘bundled’ Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process required for environmental authorisations, for a number of core projects in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone metallurgical zone at the South Site of the MMSEZ, an 8,000 Ha area north of the Soutpansberg Mountains on the Musina and Makhado Local Municipality boundary.

The heavy industrial zone designated as the ‘South African Energy-Metallurgical Zone of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone’ will concentrate on steel production in a ‘connected sequence’ from raw coal to power generation; coking coal; pig iron; ferroalloys and ultimately. The projects applied for include:

10Mt/a coal washery and 3Mt/a coking coal plant
1Mt/a ferrochrome and ferroalloy smelter plant
1000MW solar PV power plant, which will require clearance of up to 4,000 Ha of indigenous vegetation to meet only part of the power needs of the industrial zone

The process is being facilitated by Gudani Consulting acting for:

1) EMSEZ/SAEMB, the South African subsidiary of Shenzhen Hoimor Resources, the Chinese operator of the zone

2) Kinetic Development, the Chinese coal mining company that has a controlling interest in MC Mining and its portfolio of mining rights in the Greater Soutpansberg Coalfield

You can register directly as an Interested and Affected Party to participate in the Public Participation Process here. Complete the form below, click submit and your registration will be sent directly to the appointed Environmental Impact Assessment practitioner at Gudani Consulting.

You have the right of access to information and to participate in these decisions whose consequences will reverberate far into the future. Please register.

Living Limpopo represented by All Rise Attorneys for Climate and Environmental Justice has registered as an I&AP in the process and has submitted initial objections to the procedural irregularities. Register as a member of Living Limpopo and be counted among those we represent in preventing the Vhembe region from becoming South Africa’s next Sacrifice Zone for coal and steel.

ACCESS THE SCOPING REPORT AND APPENDICES RELEASED BY GUDANI CONSULTING HERE - DEADLINE FOR COMMENT: 8 DECEMBER 2024

Join Living Limpopo

REGISTRATION AS AN INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTY FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN ENERGY METALLURGICAL BASE PTY LTD/EMSEZ AND KINETIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP LIMITED SCOPING REPORT/EIA/EMP/IWULA/AEL FOR THE MUSINA-MAKHADO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE PROPOSED FERROCHROME SMELTER AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE; COAL WASH AND COKE PLANT; HEAT RECOVERY ELECTRICITY PLANT; SOLAR PV POWER STATION AND OTHER FACILITIES

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I/we identify my/our interest in this project follows (optional)

Constitutional rights under sections 24 and 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa

Other circumstances specified below that cause me/us to be materially impacted by, or otherwise have an interest in the decisions under consideration:

I/we submit the following preliminary comments and questions (optional)

I am/we are opposed to coal-based development and industrialisation of the Vhembe region as a grossly unsustainable basis for development

I/we object to the development of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone and the Greater Soutpansberg Coalfield to which these noxious industrial projects are integral

I/we object to the construction of a heavy industrial zone on land classified as of critical biodiversity value and ecological support areas

I/we submit the following additional comments for consideration:

Media media coverage

**Media coverage**
'**Urgent call for public input on coal and steel zone in Limpopo’s protected Vhembe Region’**
iOL, 04 November 2024
**‘Scoping report looks at pros and cons of proposed smelter’**
Zoutpansberger, 12 October 2024
**‘Latest EIAs 'a push to get dirty projects approved’’**
Zoutpansperber, 20 September 2024

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CALL TO REGISTER AS A STAKEHOLDER IN THE PROCESS TO APPROVE CORE PROJECTS OF THE MMSEZ - FIRST DEADLINE FOR COMMENT: 8 DECEMBER 2024

Media coverage

The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone is a coal-fueled Chinese-South African industrial mega-project that will drive the strip-mining of the Vhembe for coal - It will devastate the still wild but fragile Vhembe Biosphere Reserve area of the Limpopo Province - The future can still be changed.

The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone is a coal-fueled Chinese-South African industrial mega-project that will drive the strip-mining of the Vhembe for coal - It will devastate the still wild but fragile Vhembe Biosphere Reserve area of the Limpopo Province - The future can still be changed.

CALL TO REGISTER AS A STAKEHOLDER IN THE PROCESS TO APPROVE CORE PROJECTS OF THE MMSEZ - FIRST DEADLINE FOR COMMENT: 8 DECEMBER 2024

Media coverage

Don’t Let Vhembe Vanish

The Wealth of Nations: Coal versus Carbon in the Vhembe

The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone is a coal-fueled Chinese-South African industrial mega-project that will drive the strip-mining of the Vhembe for coal - It will devastate the still wild but fragile Vhembe Biosphere Reserve area of the Limpopo Province - The future can still be changed.