The repairs to the base of Eskom’s tower 520 were finished on September 19 following significant damage due to illegal sand mining in the area.
Eskom had sent out a media statement two weeks ago saying its inspectors had found that the stay wire on the power tower was exposed and in danger of collapse due to illegal deep excavation around the base.
The tower is a crucial cross-border power line running from Arnot Power Station in Mpumalanga to Maputo and feeds the Mozal Aluminium smelter which is the backbone of Mozambique’s economy. Eskom said in a follow-up response to Lowvelder earlier this week that although the illegal sand miners had not be caught, they were working with police and investigations are ongoing.
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Also affected by the illegal sand mining are several sugar cane farmers farming near the middle-Komati River. SA Canegrowers Association Komati area manager, Soren Bruce said the sand mining has resulted in the level of the riverbed being lowered by at least two metres where, “some of the farmer’s suction pumps have had to be relocated, at significant expense to the growers, now completely exposed, to get closer to the water.
The pump’s concrete support is at risk of collapse, as water levels continue to drop”. Bruce said 175 local sugar cane farmers are expected to close up shop by the end of the season, depriving the community of R79,8 million in annual revenue, if an immediate solution to the illegal mining is not found.
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Eskom also said in its response to Lowvelder that the SA Canegrowers Association had invited it to attend a sand mining workshop on Monday and that the meeting was attended by Eskom and members of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy where the latter made a presentation on the legal processes to apply for sand mining.
Eskom has encouraged people to report “any unusual activity near towers to the local police station so Eskom can get the perpetrators behind bars, or call Eskom on 0860-037-566”.
