Toxic tour in the contaminated community of Snake Park

Nobulaw Sitshaluza

We were placed here in Snakepark even though it is full of toxins from the tailing mine dump, it,
therefore, makes it an ideal place for toxic tours. Our government knows how toxic it is but
allowing this to have a community that stays near a tailing mine dump as such it negatively
impacts our health. I have been part of these toxic tours for more than two years. As an activist,
I know and understand how severe and quite life-threatening the toxins have affected our
community.

On 14 October 2024, we conducted a toxic tour with some members of Bambanani
co_operation and Cerebral Palsy Forum mothers were involved for the first time.

I conducted the toxic tour because some of our members were held up. I had to rely on my
experience of being involved in previous toxic tours before and be able to speak about the
tailing impacts in the community of Snakepark. The involvement of Bambanani’s cooperation in
the phytoremediation projects is our mission and vision in creating employment through
agripreuners. We continued to discuss the Cerebral Palsy Forum and its mission and vision
regarding parents wanting a school for their disabled children.

When we were near the signpost, suddenly there were white two vans that appeared from
nowhere, I suspect that they belonged to the mine owners. They stopped and some individuals
came out of their cars from a distance and started looking at us. Hopefully, the mine owners and
our government will take into account the responsibility of placing people near contaminated
mine dumps. The hospitals are far from our community but we are the ones that need medical
attention the most because of all the toxins we inhale causing serious health risks.