ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DUE TO MINE SLUDGE
Thabo Ishmael Choledi
It is the rainy season for most areas in our province, and it is traumatic for us as the people of Jagersfontein when we see water flowing from the dam wall where the disaster struck in September of 2022. This is the side that is facing the community and we don’t know when it will collapse. The water flows into the nearby river and contaminates it, we were told by the UFS that the water is not toxic but what we know is that the water is very salty and cannot be consumed.
I was born here in Jagersfontein and the stream that used to supply drinking water for the livestock has now become a killer stream. Animals are dying as a result of that water. The eucalyptus trees that used to be around the streams are now dead, rodents such as squirrels and polecats have disappeared from the valley and the streams. It is very painful for us who grew up seeing these wild neighbors in our midst. We sent warnings and pleas to the mining company but no one cared to listen to us.
Small scale livestock farmers at the commonage are also falling victims to this disaster, the grass cannot sprout from the ground because the soil is contaminated by the sludge. That is happening in the backdrop of heavy rains that we experienced during the recent weeks, yet the Free State University have the audacity to tell us the water is not toxic.
The valley was destroyed by the tailing dam disaster and the heavy rains in recent weeks, which means our children can’t go to school because the water levels have risen and the bridge has been destroyed. This bridge is the only pathway that connects Itumeleng and Charlesville.
A lot of children miss out on the academic program due to absenteeism. The heavy trucks that are driving close to the school are a major concern for the parents of the children who attend school in Charlesville. We appeal to the president to come and address our issues here in Jagersfontein, Paul Mashatile came here and took my letter but he has never replied to any of the issues that I raised in the letter.
The law must take its course now because people are dead and the animals continue to die, wildlife has disappeared from the veld and the environment continues to suffer immensely. Depression is rife among the residents due to the uncertain future that they face on a daily basis, recently people have started to suffer from stomach pains and vomiting. We fear that we may see an outbreak of cholera if this is not addressed in time.
