South Africa’s regulatory uncertainty overshadows exploration optimism

Controversial proposals to amend South Africa’s minerals law have attracted fresh criticism from the country’s respected regulator. In an uncharacteristically emotional address to Global Pacific & Partners’ Africa Upstream conference on 29 November, Petroleum Agency SA resource evaluation manager Dave van der Spuy observed that the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill, which is presently before parliament, provided for the dissolution of the agency. “This could well be the last time anyone from PASA gets to address this forum,” he said, and thanked oil companies at the conference for their “incredible support”, adding “This public recognition of our work has sustained all of us at the agency through what has turned out to be our most difficult year yet.”