A $160 million South African phosphate mine, owned by billionaire Patrice Motsepe’s African Rainbow Capital Investments Ltd., is facing a new legal challenge after more than a decade of environmental disputes.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has filed a lawsuit against South Africa’s Environment Minister, Dion George, over his September decision to reject appeals against an offset exemption granted to Elandsfontein Mine, Bloomberg reported.
Kropz Plc, which owns the mine and is 90% controlled by African Rainbow, has also been named as a respondent in the case.
The offset proposal, which was overturned by the ministry’s provincial office in 2021, would have required Kropz to acquire and donate over 20,000 acres of land to the West Coast National Park.
“The environment, and therefore the public at large, has suffered prejudice from the unconscionable delays in the implementation of the offset requirements,” the WWF stated in court papers filed with South Africa’s High Court on March 13.
The lawsuit marks the latest effort by environmentalists to halt operations at the Elandsfontein Mine, which they argue threatens the Langebaan Lagoon, located 61 miles north of Cape Town, and its underlying aquifer.
Ongoing environmental disputes, along with technical challenges, have repeatedly delayed the mine’s operations.
Kropz Plc, which acquired South Africa’s second-largest phosphate deposit in 2010, has faced persistent opposition since then.
“Kropz has noted these developments,” the company stated in response to a query. “They will be considering their position.”
This legal battle highlights the ongoing struggle between environmental conservation and industrial development in South Africa, particularly in the mining sector. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of the Elandsfontein Mine and its impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
