Community livestock farm near a tailing dam due to lack of land

Community Alerts/Thokozile Mntambo/Soweto-Gauteng/16/02/18

 

Mr Stanley is a 65 years old farmer. He is one of the farmers who live close to the tailing in Snake park. He started farming in 2014. When he started farming near the tailing he Started experiencing eye problems. He went to many doctors but his problem still persistent. He realized that many of his animals are dying. And he has lost a lot of dogs who used to guard his farm. He lives in a small shack made of asbestos. He says that too much dust enters his shack every day.

He says that they got permission from the Harmony gold most mine to farm that land. And they gave them until 7 years to stay there. After seven years they will evict them when I asked if they paid and money. He said no comment.

Most of the farmers know that the dust is the cause of their problems. But they are scared to speak out because they might lose the land. I have seen that most of the pigs. They like to scratch their skin in the fence cause it’s itching because of the dust. By Thokozile Mntambo