Publication Of The Revised MPRDA Amendment Bill

The revised Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill 15D – 2013 (the Bill) was passed by the National Assembly on 1 November 2016. The Bill has now been referred to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). On 8 November 2016, the NCOP Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources held its first hearing on the MPRDA Amendment Bill.

The Bill is the first major reform of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 (MPRDA), which in itself constituted a fundamental reform of South African mining law. The Bill was previously passed by Parliament in 2014 and sent to the President for his assent. The President referred the Bill back to Parliament in 2015, citing various concerns that may result in the Bill not passing constitutional muster.