Lack of functioning mining cadastre also posing risk to renewables projects

The absence of a functional mining cadastre in South Africa, which has been undermining the sector for years, is now having potentially negative knock-on effects for developers of renewable-energy projects, particularly in Mpumalanga – a region where there is still capacity to connect new projects to the grid and the designated epicentre of South Africa’s just energy transition. AmaranthCX director Paul Miller, who has conducted extensive mapping of the coal mines and projects in Mpumalanga, says without the cadastre renewables developers are facing difficulties in complying with a legal requirement to identify any mining or prospecting rights on, or within two kilometres of the proposed development.