http://cer.org.za/news/media-release-ci ... ected-area
The right for a new coal mine was granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd inside the Mabola Protected Environment in September 2014, only 8 months after the Mpumalanga MEC declared the area a protected environment under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003. Commercial mining can only take place in a protected environment with the permission of both the Ministers of Mineral Resources and Environmental Affairs. As far as the Coalition is aware, this permission has not been given.