Snake Park Bambanani embarking on Phytoremediation
Daniel Mkhwanazi
Daniel Mkhwanazi
Ward 129
City of Johannesburg
Snake Park Thulani
17/04/2024
Snake Park Bambanani embarking on Phytoremediation
The definition of phytoremediation is the process whereby we use green plants for environmental rehabilitation of polluted soil, water, and air. It is mostly used to detoxify and restore the soil that contains heavy metals.
The most challenging factor we are having as the community of Snake Park is its mine dump that is no longer maintained since they were left behind by the mine gold rush of 1886. The residents of Snake Park are badly affected by the mine tailing that surrounds their community. This tailing mine dump has caused diseases such as eczema, cerebral palsy, and other chronic diseases. Our community residents usually refer to the tailing as “Intabamhlophe” which means the white mountain.
Benchmarks Foundation has managed to assist us as activists in Snake Park to mobilize and start Snake Park Bambanani co-operative. As a cooperative, we saw a need to start an initiative to remediate the tailing by planting sunflowers. These sunflowers will be able to extract the heavy metals and clean the soil. The toxic dust from the tailing has been causing a lot of harm to the local farmers and the residents.
Our goal at Bambanani is to raise awareness in communities that are affected by mine tailings.
