Vryheid has abandoned opencast mines everywhere

Community Alerts/ David Van Wyk/ Kwa Zulu Natal-Vryheid/ 07 October 2016

Sabelo is a young man. He had six head of cattle, now he only has three. Three others fell into this rehabilitated open cast coal mine and drowned. Mr Viljoen was the owner of this hole and abandoned it, even though it would be breaking the law, because he knew that there will be no consequences. Everywhere where there is coal mining this kind of irresponsibility is prevalent. The area around Vryheid has abandoned opencast mines everywhere, the mining companies come and go leaving the community they found there with messed up land. We were told that a child also drowned here, and that mine trucks regularly kill livestock without and consequences or compensation. What a sad country this is for rural people. The community sees the hand of local politicians in this free for all environmental mess. The companies simply bribe their way around the law! In response to a question to the Minister of Land Affairs in Parliament it was claimed that there was an agricultural project for the people of Vaalkrantz – the community know nothing about it.