PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Public participation in decisions regarding approval of proposed mining, industrial or energy developments is a mandatory requirement in South Africa. 

When undertaken in a collaborative and mutually respectful manner, consultation that actively involves interested and affected parties, project proponents, regulatory authorities and technical specialists is an essential starting point for better environmental decision-making.

The Solarys public participation team has considerable expertise in conceptualising, planning, implementing, and documenting regulatory public participation processes that are required in terms of South African environmental legislation.  Solarys can assist you with undertaking public participation that forms part of the following legislated processes or applications:

  • Basic assessments and scoping and environmental impact reporting processes as outlined in the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA) and its various Regulations.
  • Environmental authorisation amendment applications as outlined in Chapter 5 of the NEMA Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014.
  • Water use licence applications under the National Water Act 36 of 1998 and its Regulations.
  • Applications related to atmospheric emission licenses in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 and its Regulations.
  • Applications related to waste management licences as outlined in the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008.
  • Applications for prospecting and mining rights as outlined in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002.

Solarys can assist you with the following key tasks that could typically form part of a public participation process in South Africa:

  • Preparation of a stakeholder engagement plan.
  • Identification of interested and affected parties and originating/updating a register with verified contact information.
  • Stakeholder sensitivity mapping.
  • Preparation of Q&A documents.
  • Pre-consultation meetings with communities, other interested and affected parties and authorities.
  • Preparation of notification documents which could include background information documents; notification letters; advertisements; site notices; etc.
  • Project announcement via radio, newspaper, email, post, SMS, site notices or other means agreed with the proponent and authorities.
  • Convening, facilitating and minuting open house; focus group and public meetings – either face-to-face or via teleconference.
  • Receiving and documenting all comments received from interested and affected parties in a comment and response report to be completed in collaboration with the proponent, technical specialists and an environmental assessment practitioner.
  • Consolidating all inputs and process documents into a public participation report for submission to authorities.
  • Solarys can further assist with post-authorisation support related to notification of an authority decision and an appeal process.