7. Clause 9 makes substantive amendments to section 24G of the Act, to address the numerous complaints received from the public that section 24G (rectification of the commencement of unlawful activities performed without the necessary environmental authorization - EIA) is extensively and excessively abused, in that applicants proceed with illegal activities on the assumption that their 24G applications will be successful and further that competent authorities have experienced a reluctance from the National Prosecution Authority to institute prosecution once a person applied for or has been granted an environmental authorization, retrospectively, in terms of section 24G. The Minister of Environmental Affairs, the Minister of Mineral Resources and the MEC responsible for environmental affairs are granted new substantive powers to issue directives to curb the present abuse of this retrospective procedure. The administrative fine has been increased considerably. The requirements for the report to be compiled by the applicant have been tightened. The section has also been amended to make it clear that criminal prosecution may still be instituted despite the fact that a person has applied for or been granted an environmental authorisation in terms of section 24G. The amendment also allows the Minister of Environmental Affairs, the Minister of Mineral Resources or the MEC to defer a decision until such time that the criminal investigation has been concluded. Most importantly, the Minister has also, for the first time ever, been granted these powers in respect of the rectification of unlawful activities in terms of the NEM: Waste Act.