Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

Copies of the following records are requested:

1. The written submission by the Department of Mineral Resources on the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network, published for comment on 3 February 2016 in the Government Gazette 609 (39646), Regulation Gazette. No. 10553

2. The written submission by the Petroleum Agency of South Africa on the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network, published for comment on 3 February 2016 in the Government Gazette 609 (39646), Regulation Gazette. No. 10553

3. Copies of any letters sent by the Department of Mineral Resources to the Department of Environmental Affairs setting out the Department of Mineral Resources’ objections to and/or comments on the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network, published for comment on 3 February 2016 in the Government Gazette 609 (39646), Regulation Gazette. No. 10553.

4. Copies of any power point presentations by officials in the Department of Mineral Resources setting out the Department of Mineral Resources’ objections to and/or comments on the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network.

5. Copies of any meeting minutes and agendas prepared for any meetings held between the Department of Mineral Resources and the Department of Environmental Affairs related to the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network before, during and after the participation process.

6. Copies of all overlay maps prepared by the Department of Mineral Resources setting out the overlap between mineral and petroleum resources, rights and the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network.

7. Copies of all overlay maps prepared by the Petroleum Agency of South Africa setting out the overlap between mineral and petroleum resources, rights and the Operation Phakisa marine protected area network, published for comment on 3 February 2016 in the Government Gazette 609 (39646), Regulation Gazette. No. 10553

8. Copies of any documents or records considered or consulted in making the determination to publish a section 49 notice for the entire Exclusive Economic Zone, published on 28 June 2018 in the Government Gazette 657 (41743).

9. Copies of any progress reports or other progress updates in relation to the implementation of the Operation Phakisa E2 Initiative (Enhance environmental governance capacity of oil and gas regulator) of the Oil and Gas Lab.

10. Copies of all environmental authorisations for offshore oil and gas production granted by the Department of Mineral Resources since 8 December 2014.

11. Copies of any reports and/or assessments that informed how the “licence blocks, reserved participation and mining leases” that divide up our Exclusive Economic Zone were allocated.

12. Copies of any environmental impact assessments carried out for the division and allocation process and the comments received during the public participation process that was followed.

13. Copies of any reports compiled relating to the cumulative impacts of the proposed operations in all the allocated blocks.

14. Lists of the licensing rounds that have been conducted to invite applications for mining, and offshore oil and gas exploration since 1994.

15. A list of all exploration, production and mining rights that have been issued in respect of the ‘licence blocks’, and to whom such rights were issued.

16. A list of all valid rights and permits for offshore oil and gas in place as at date hereof

17. Copies of all Records of Decisions, licences and licence conditions issued in 2016, 2017 and 2018 to date for any form of prospecting and/or mining and/or oil and gas reconnaissance and/or exploration and/or production in our marine environment.

18. A copy of any cumulative impact study of the broader effects of the combined operations and the comments received on that study / regarding cumulative impacts during the public participation process that was followed.