The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources will, next week, conduct oversight visits to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal as part of its constitutional mandate. The visits will assess key issues within the portfolio, including illegal sand mining, environmental liabilities, and the financial exposure of the state following the acquisition of the SAPREF refinery, Richards Bay Mining and community mining trust challenges as well as oversight of Transnet's Island View Precinct.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mikateko Mahlaule said: "The committee is empowered by the Constitution to oversee executive action and monitor the implementation of government programmes. Oversight is a critical function of Parliament to ensure accountability, including tracking public expenditure and evaluating government interventions within the portfolio."
Eastern Cape
In the Eastern Cape, the committee will focus on the impact of illegal sand mining within the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. This follows a committee resolution adopted on 25 November 2025, which highlighted the growing challenge of illegal sand mining in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
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The committee has expressed concern about the escalating illegal extraction of natural sand from estuaries, rivers, and coastal areas. This uncontrolled surge in illegal sand mining has led to severe environmental degradation and poses significant social, environmental, and operational challenges.
"The visit is necessary in light of the significant, long-term, and potentially irreversible damage to riverbeds and estuarine ecosystems. This is particularly concerning given the increasing frequency of above-average rainfall and flooding. The committee will assess policy gaps and the measures implemented by various government departments to regulate the sector and protect the environment," Mr Mahlaule emphasised.
KwaZulu-Natal
In KwaZulu-Natal, the committee will visit the SAPREF refinery following its acquisition by the Central Energy Fund in May 2024. The visit arises from ongoing debate regarding the transfer of environmental liabilities, the financial exposure to the state, and the future viability of the refinery.
"The committee intends to assess the condition of the SAPREF infrastructure, understand the scale and nature of inherited liabilities, and determine the implications for the state and the broader energy security landscape," said Mr Mahlaule.
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The committee will also conduct an oversight visit to the Transnet Island View Precinct (IVP) in Durban. This follows a directive by the Minister of Transport to extend the 25-year lease and to monitor ongoing infrastructure upgrades at the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) terminal.
In addition, the committee will visit Richards Bay to engage with Rio Tinto and local communities that are intended beneficiaries of community mining trusts. The visit follows allegations of misuse of community mining trust funds and subsequent court actions. The committee will receive updates on the legal proceedings and on interventions by the Department of Mineral Resources aimed at improving governance within these trusts.
"As required by the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) of 2002, communities must benefit meaningfully from community mining trusts. Governance structures must meet the highest standards, and the trusts must contribute to sustainable development within host communities. It is therefore important for the committee to assess the reported challenges and the measures being implemented to resolve them, in the interest of communities where Richards Bay Minerals operates," reiterated Mr Mahlaule.
The full oversight programme can be downloaded here: https://tinyurl.com/pf7bxryd
