Welcome to the Department of Minerals and Energy, or the DME. This is an introduction to the various specialised divisions of the DME and associated institutions are responsible for the administration of the mining laws and for promoting the development of the industry.
Who we are
The Ministry
The Minister is
Buyelwa Sonjica.
Office of the Director-General
The Director-General,
Advocate Sandile Nogxina, is the head of the Department of Minerals and Energy. His office is in Pretoria.
Special Projects Chief Directorate
The office of the Chief Director: Special Projects reports to the Director-General. Its purpose is to develop programmes on special projects that focus on the participation of vulnerable groups such as women, the youth and children in the mining and energy sectors. Through these programmes, female participation is encouraged through training, capacity building and development. Youth and children's programmes cover education and career planning within the sectors.
The Special Projects Chief Directorate engages learners in career guidance to opt for skills in the mining and energy sectors. Learners are drawn from disadvantaged communities and most of them cannot afford tertiary education. This is one attempt by the department to address the shortage of skills in these sectors.
The Special Projects Chief Directorate also focuses on issues of poverty alleviation and job creation as part of its rural and urban development programmes.
For more information, contact the Director: Special Projects at (012) 317-8159.
The Corporate Services Branch consists of the following chief directorates and directorates:
Director: Gender Empowerment
Chief Directorate: Financial, Information and Supply Chain Management
Directorate: Supply Chain Management
Directorate: Expenditure Management
Directorate: Financial Planning and Management Accounting
Directorate: Information Technology
Directorate: Systems Development and Maintenance
Chief Directorate Management Services
Directorate: Human Resources and Efficiency Management
Directorate: Human Resources Development
Directorate: Risk Management
Directorate: Legal Services
Chief Directorate: Communication Services
Directorate: Communications
Directorate: International Co-ordination
Chief Directorate: Compliance
Directorate: Internal Auditing
Directorate: Legal and Public Entities Compliance
What
The purpose of the department is to ensure the optimal utilisation and safe exploitation of mineral and energy resources and the rehabilitation of the surface. To this end, it is responsible for the following:
- To direct and administer regional offices on economic growth and development;
- To formulate and promote mineral-related policies that will encourage investment into the mining and mineral industry, thus making South Africa attractive to investors;
- Regulate hydrocarbon energy carriers and ensure energy planning;
- Manage the electricity sector and the nuclear industry;
- Ensure the safe mining of minerals under healthy working conditions;
- Ensure the co-ordination of the national rural development strategy;
- Ensure overall co-ordination of HIV/AIDS and other programmes and projects in the department as well as in the mining and energy industries;
- Ensure alignment of departmental policies and programmes with the National Economic and Development Strategy; and
- Co-ordinate the implementation of gender empowerment in the mineral and energy sectors.
The Mineral Policy and Promotion Branch is responsible for formulating and promoting mineral-related policies that will encourage investment into the mining and mineral industry, making South Africa attractive to investors.
Who
Deputy Director-General: Mineral Policy and Investment Promotion
Chief Director: Mineral Policy
Chief Economist
Chief Director: Mineral Promotion
Director: Mineral Economics
Director: Small-Scale Mining
Director Mineral Policy Development
Director: Benefication Economics
Director: Mine, Environment and Development
What
The Mineral Policy and Promotion Branch is responsible for the following:
- Develop new policies, review existing policies and amend legislation to achieve transformation;
- Promote mineral development and advise on trends in the mining industry to attract investment;
- Develop and implement new strategies that will enhance growth in the second economy; and
- Ensure full participation of the mining and minerals industry of South Africa in shaping the destiny of the industry.
One of the directorates within this branch is
Mineral Economics, which promotes mineral exploitation and beneficiation in South Africa. It collects, classifies and analyses mineral data in order to advise both the government and the private sector on local and international developments in the mineral industry. The directorate also disseminates mineral-related information through publications and by participating in local and international conferences.
The Mineral Regulation Branch is responsible for regulating the mining and minerals industry to achieve transformation and contribute to sustainable development.
Who
The branch is headed by the Deputy Director-General: Mineral Regulation. It comprises the following chief directorates and directorates:
Chief Directorate: Mineral Regulation and Administration - Eastern Regions (Limpopo, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Free State
Directorate: Licensing and Legal Compliance - Eastern Regions
Chief Directorate: Mineral Regulation and Administration - Central Regions (Northern Cape, Free State and Gauteng)
Directorate: Licensing and Legal Compliance - Central Regions
Chief Directorate: Mineral Regulation and Administration - Western Regions (North-West, Limpopo and Western Cape)
Directorate: Licensing and Legal Compliance - Western Regions
The branch consists of
nine regional offices, headed by regional managers:
Gauteng region
Mpumalanga region
Free State region
KwaZulu Natal region
Eastern Cape region
Northern Cape region (including Springbok area office)
North-West region
Limpopo region
Western Cape region
What
The purpose of the Mineral Regulation Branch is to administer the
Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act 2002, No 28 of 2002 [PDF], and other applicable legislation. This is to ensure the granting of prospecting and mining rights in terms of the Act and to promote mineral development, including urban renewal, rural development and black economic empowerment. It is reponsible for co-ordinating and liaising with national, provincial and local government structures for efficient governance. It is also tasked with addressing past legacies with regard to derelict and ownerless mines and enforce legislation regarding mine rehabilitation by means of regulated environmental management plans.
The Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate (MHSI) ensures the safe mining of minerals under healthy working conditions and is represented in the various provinces by principal inspectors.
Who
The Chief Inspector of Mines is the head of the inspectorate. The chief inspector is supported by:
Chief Directorate: Coal. The chief directorate is responsible for KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Chief Directorate: Other Mines and Offshore. This chief directorate is responsible for the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Western Cape.
Chief Directorate: Gold and Platinum. This chief directorate is responsible for Gauteng, Free State and North West.
The MHSI also includes that Directorate: Support Services; Directorate: Mine Surveying; Specialist Unit and the Policy Unit. It is also represented by principal inspectors in the various regions.
What
The functions of the principal inspectors is to provide policy inputs for the establishment and application of mine safety standards at mining operations and promote the application thereof.
They also provide policy inputs for the establishment and application of mine equipment safety standards at mining operations and promote the application thereof.
Other functions are to provide policy inputs for the establishment and application of mine health standards at mining operations and promote the application thereof; and to ensure effective support and inspection services.
Electricity and Nuclear Branch
The
Electricity and
Nuclear Branch promotes the optimum and sustainable utilisation of energy resources. It aims to manage the electricity sector and the nuclear industry.
Who
The branch is headed up by the Deputy Director-General: Electricity and Nuclear. It comprises the following:
Chief Directorate: Electricty
Directorate: Electrification Policy Development and Management
Directorate: Electricity Supply
Directorate: Electricity Policy Analysis and Regulation
Chief Directorate: Nuclear
Directorate: Nuclear Technology
Directorate: Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Directorate: Nuclear Safety
Chief Directorate INEP/BPU
Directorate: Capital Programmes
Directorate: Electrification Planning
What
The purpose of the Electricity and Nuclear Branch is to develop, implement and monitor electricity policy and programmes; and to regulate the South African electricity and nuclear industry and ensure overall control of sourced and special nuclear material in terms of nuclear legislation.
Hydrocarbons, Energy Planning and Clean Energy Branch
This branch is responsible for regulating hydrocarbon energy carriers and ensures
energy planning.
Who
The branch is headed by the Deputy Director-General: Hydrocarbons, Energy Planning and Clean Energy.
Branch
The branch comprises the following:
Chief Directorate: Hydrocarbons
Directorate: Petroleum and Gas Operations
Directorate: Petroleum and Petroleum Infrastructure Policy
Directorate: Coal and Gas Policy
Chief Directorate Energy Planning
Directorate: Energy Efficiency and Environment
Directorate: Energy Planning and Development
Chief Directorate: Clean Energy
Directorate: New and Renewable Energy
Directorate: Designated National Authority
What
The purpose of the Hydrocarbons, Energy Planning and Clean Energy Branch is to regulate and promote hydrocarbon energy carriers; and to ensure integrated energy planning through policy development for the environment and renewable technology and provision of administrative services.
