The SA Tailings Civil Society Group has threatened legal action against the government for failure to release a forensic report on the Jagersfontein disaster.
The Bench Marks Foundation, Earthworks, Federation for A Sustainable Environment, Groundwork as well as the National Union of Mineworkers and the various participants at the SA Tailings Civil Society Working Group believe it is scandalous that the report has not yet been published.
This is nearly two years since the tragic incident occurred. The wall holding tailings from the local mine burst in the wee hours of September 11, 2022.
Incident claimed two lives, left 164 homes destroyed
This released a fast and heavy toxic sludge into Charlesville and Itumeleng townships. The waste torrents spread to the neighbouring communities of Charlesville and Itumeleng. At least two people lost their lives, two were missing and dozens moreinjured. The untold damage to animal life and wider ecosystem is not often spoken of. But the group demands that it must also be factored in as well as the damage to close to 164 houses.
This forced a temporary shutdown and evacuation. Desperate families tried to grab the remaining valuable assets as they were being moved to shelter homes.
Hassen Lorgat, convener from the SA Tailings Civil Society Group, expressed the group’s frustration. He said failure to release the forensic report showed failure of democracy in its 30th anniversary.
Lorgat said their June 2024 workshop concluded that authorities should be held accountable for this disaster.
He said the workshop, which was attended by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), lacked transparency and accountability by authorities.
Demands forensic report on tragedy, and those accountable arrested
Participants at the workshop demanded that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) show commitment. They wanted the NPA to prosecute the owners of the mine.
“It is scandalous that, close to two years have passed, authorities have failed to publish the forensic report on the Jagersfontein disaster. And all the recommendations have not been made public.
“Furthermore, we believe that the principal regulatory departments, that is the DWS, the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), must report jointly and severally about how they will address the policy gaps in relation to tailings facilities and risk management,” said Lorgat.
Mine continues to operate
Lorgat told Sunday World that there were warnings prior to the incident. He was concerned that the mine continued to operate endangering peoples lives and farming in the area.
“The Free State-based mine was formerly owned by De Beers up to 1972, when it stopped mining. [Its] corporation retained the prospecting rights on the property until 2002. It is believed that limited reprocessing operations at the mine were eventually started in September 2010. They were started by a company named Son Op, later known as Jagersfontein Development,” said Lorgat.
Demands transparency
He said it was concerning that a larger incident, the Brumadinho Dam disaster in Brazil, was attended to immediately. And those suspected to be involved in connection with the dam collapse were arrested.
He said the report was released within six months and the possible reasons for the collapse were made public.
“What we want is a report, transparency, then accountability. If Brazil could have this level of enforcement then what is happening here,” said Lorgat.
Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content
