Community of Dominionville continue to drink water from contaminated bore holes

Modise Tlhako

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, 800 residents in Dominionville are still relying on untested boreholes that are situated on former uranium mine land.  

The boreholes are drilled into ground scarred by uranium mining, which ceased in 1963. Following the advent of democracy, new companies began operations on the same land, including Uranium One, a Canadian firm, and Shiva Uranium, owned by the Guptas, which operated until 2010.  

Herbert Roos, who moved to 131 Habban Street, started boiling his water because he was concerned about what he saw. “I found that the water is pumped straight from the ground with no cleaning,” Roos said. “We are essentially drinking mine water.”  

The boreholes sit on municipal land above mined ground, and the government has never tested the water, according to Roos. As of the time of publication, neither the Matlosana Local Municipality nor the Department of Water and Sanitation had provided a single water test result.  

Roos spent over R3,000 on a purifier for his house and has since bought a larger one to sell purified water for R1 per liter. “People are getting sick,” Roos said. “One resident developed kidney stones from the tap water. Others are complaining too.”  

Uranium exposure can damage the kidneys and bones, particularly endangering children. Roos noted that the Wonderfonteinspruit catchment in the same geological area has recorded uranium levels as high as 759 µg/ℓ25 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 30 µg/ℓ.  

The law mandates that water must be safe, as outlined in the National Water Act 36 of 1998 and the Constitution, Section 24, which states that the state must protect citizens. Yet, the taps continue to run without proper testing, Roos lamented.  

Recently, Roken Mining Company drilled a new borehole to “address water issues.” However, there was no public meeting, no water quality report, and no sign indicating that the water is safe to drink.  

“The demand is clear,” Roos stated. Test the boreholes and publish the results. He added, “Even an elephant will not drink poison. These are people, and there is a thirst for justice.”