Another dam wall collapses in Jagersfontein

Barely a month after the Jagersfontien mine disaster, there has been another dam wall collapsed in the Free State town.

The office of Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela said water has engulfed the area of Charlesville.

Mayor of the Kopanong area‚ Xolani Tseletsele, said the incident happened at around 9pm.

Dam burst

Speaking on eNCA‚ Tseletsele said unlike the last time‚ the dam released water.

“What [the mine officials] have told me is that due to the rains we suffered in the last two days‚ the dam burst but it was only water.

“I am from the site now and had a physical look at it, it has stopped. There is no more [water] flow to the community, but what the incident has done is that it has brought back the panic to the community‚” said Tseletsele.

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“The community has not completely healed after the disaster that happened on the 11^th of September,” Tseletsele said.

Casulaties and damages

Tseletsele said no casualties have been reported and there has been no damages to damages to infrastructure by the latest dam burst.

This was the second dam burst in the Jaggersfontien.

Earlier this month, over 300 residents in the small Free State town were left homeless after water from a dam located at a Jagersfontein Developments mine cracked open and flooded the area.

The tailings dam left one person dead.

Further collapse of fine tailings

Meanwhile, officials from the Department responsible for environmental affairs said media reports about a further collapse at the fine tailings storage facility at Jagersfontein were unfounded and untrue.

“Due to the incident which occurred on 11 September 2022, the storm water is flowing in areas where tailings have spilled.”

“The facility continues to be monitored and is stable.  As part of the emergency response, Jagersfontein Developments has commenced with the pumping of the tailings in compartment 2 of the facility to the pit. There has been no further breach of any kind at the facility,” it said.

Investigation

Parliament has recommended a full investigation into the Jagersfontein mine disaster and the directors of the company involved.

This follows an oversight visit to the area earlier this month where it witnessed the severe destruction that included the death of people, demolition of houses, killing of livestock, damage to cars and the destruction of infrastructure.

The portfolio committee on mineral resources and energy also wants the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act reviewed to include the regulation of “tailings dams and mine dumps”.

The committee wants the investigation’s findings reported to the National Assembly as a matter of urgency.

ALSO READ: Jagersfontein ordered to stop tailings ops in 2020, but continued anyway