The Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy is taking the final leg of public hearings on the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development (UPRD) Bill [B13-2021] to Gauteng this coming weekend, 26-28 May 2023.
The committee will hold three public hearings starting on Friday at the Sedibeng Town Hall in Sedibeng District, followed by Khutsong Community Hall in West Rand District and Tshwane House Council Chambers in Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
In the space of three months, the committee has conducted public hearings on the UPRD Bill in eight provinces, covering 24 districts and three metropolitan municipalities.
The districts are West Coast, Overberg and Garden Route districts in Western Cape; OR Tambo, Amathole and Sarah Baartman in Eastern Cape; Ugu and UMgungundlovu in KwaZulu-Natal; Vhembe, Mopani, Waterberg and Capricorn districts in Limpopo; Frances Baart, John Taolo Gaetsewe and Namakwa districts in Northern Cape; Thabo Mofutsanyana and Xhariep districts in Free State; Ehlanzeni, Nkangala and Gert Sibande districts in Mpumalanga, as well as Ngaka Modiri Molema, Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Bojanala Platinum districts in North West.
The metros are Nelson Mandela Bay, EThekwini and Mangaung metropolitan municipalities.
The Bill seeks to separate petroleum provision from the mineral provision, as currently provided for in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (Act No. 28 of 2002), with the aim of providing two independent pieces of legislation to address matters pertinent to each industry and to bring about stability and security to investors, especially in the upstream petroleum sector.
It will also enhance state participation in the upstream petroleum industry and economic transformation of the industry and promote petroleum resource development in a sustainable and equitable manner for the benefit of all South Africans. Section 59 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa requires the National Assembly to facilitate public involvement in the legislative and other processes of the NA and its committees. Members of the media are invited to attend.
Source: Parliament of South Africa