Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu has declined to reveal the names of mines that have contravened approved environmental management plans (EMPs).

In written reply to a parliamentary question by the Democratic Alliance, she said that her department had, in the past two-and-a-half years, acted against numerous mines for a variety of environmental transgressions of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act.

"However, owing to the sensitiveness relating to information and the potential impact it could have on, e.g. share prices of listed companies, the department cannot publicly divulge the names of and specific details in respect of companies involved," she said.

In addition, details of each action and responses by the mining industry involved lengthy reports and other documents, Shabangu said.

In a statement later on Wednesday, Democrtic Alliance (DA) spokesperson Gareth Morgan said Shabangu believed that being open about mines that are harming the environment "is not a requirement of her job".

Instead she had chosen to protect the offenders.

This was despite her statement earlier this week that transparency and consistency would be the hallmark in managing South Africa's mineral resources.

"Her parliamentary reply is certainly not in this spirit of transparency," Morgan said.

The DA would submit a request in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act for this information.

Morgan said there was no rationale for the minister's secrecy.

In contrast, the environmental affairs department was quite happy to divulge details of actions it had taken against environmental transgressors, many of whom were also publicly listed companies.

The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs was also quite happy to divulge the names of mines operating without water licences.