Do they care about the Voelpan dam crisis, or are they merely decieving us?

Tshepo Tsie

We, the Voelpan-affected residents of Nyakallong, are hoping that the Matjhabeng Local
Municipality is paying attention to the issue and not just because the media is watching to see if
anything changes.

The Free State Premier and the Acting Mayor of Matjhabeng met with Harmony
Representatives on November 8, 2024, to talk about the flooding situation in Nyakallong due to
the Voelpan. The meeting’s goal was to talk about and develop an action plan for Nyakallong’s
impacted residents.

The Acting Mayor, along with the Free State Premier, requested that the Free State government
and Harmony Gold develop a comprehensive plan with a clear timescale and immediate steps
to enhance people’s living conditions The Premier added, "We cannot continue to delay action
on Nyakallong disaster, which continues to impact our people, this partnership must yield
tangible results without further delay.

In the 2023–2024 fiscal year, Harmony Gold demonstrated its dedication to community support
by investing over R9.4 billion in the Free State. This investment covers leadership, employment
opportunities, skills training bursaries, and community development. Harmony Gold and the
Free State government traveled to Nyakallong to observe the unfavorable circumstances.
As a Nyakallong community, we seek solutions.