Parliament of South Africa

05/13/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/14/2023 11:07

Media Statement: Bushbuckridge Residents say Upstream Petroleum Development Bill must Create Opportunities for Ordinary People

Parliament, Saturday, 13 May 2023 - Residents of Mpumalanga Province who attended the public hearings on the Upstream Petroleum Development Bill in Bushbuckridge, Ehlanzeni District Municipality, yesterday told the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy that the changes that the Bill seeks to introduce must result in tangible economic opportunities for ordinary citizens.

A majority of those who made inputs said they supported the Bill and hoped that, once passed into law, it will also create a conducive environment for investment in the country. They also warned that the legislation must be able to protect citizens and ensure that they do not suffer as a result of exploration of minerals and petroleum in their areas and that locals must benefit from the economic activities.

The Bill seeks to separate petroleum provisions from minerals provisions as currently provided for in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, in order to provide for two independent pieces of legislation addressing 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 provisions which promote petroleum resources development in a sustainable and equitable manner for the benefit of all South Africans.

The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Sahlulele Luzipo, commended thepeople of Bushbuckridge for participating in the legislative process and saidtheir input will help in improving the Bill.

"We are happy with the attendance as well as the quality of the inputsmade here in Bushbuckridge today, the people took their time to read about thebill in order to make informed inputs and that needs to be commended," said theChairperson.

Today the committee will continue with the public hearings in the province's Nkangala District Municipality

Details of the public hearings are as follows:

Date: 13 May (Saturday)
Time: 10H00
Venue: Eric Jiyane Community Hall (Mhluzi-Middelburg)

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MR SAHLULELE LUZIPO

For media enquiries or interviews with the committee Chairperson, please contact:

Name: Sakhile Mokoena
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 705 2130
E-mail: [email protected]