How mining has poisoned communities, land, air and water

Academics and residents of mining communities this week spoke about issues affecting mining communities at the Benchmark Foundation Conference.

Research from University of Witwatersrand by Dr Dineo Skosana found that dispossession of land continued in post-apartheid South Africa as mining houses colluded with traditional leaders in forceful removal of communities from tribal-owned land, without the approval of residents.

She cited Somkhele Mine in KwaZulu-Natal, where traditional leaders of Mpukunyoni Tribal Authority signed away the property rights of hundreds of residents without their approval in 2009.

She said the company, in the process of mining coal, went as far as digging up graves.

Skosana said mining companies exchanged things of sentimental value with materialistic market commodities and lacked appreciation of emotions attached to people’s homes, graves and the loss of identity in the process of removal.

She said mining disturbed human life experiences and the price paid for it was far deeper than what it was made out to be.

The issues of land was a common one in southern Africa.

Billian Matambo from Zimbabwe said there was bad blood between farmers and mining companies as they fought for the same land. She said the greed of mining companies had impoverished the country as land surrounding mines was barren and could no longer be used for farming.

“The land is no longer fertile. The rocks on top and the land are contaminated with heavy chemicals and nothing seems to grow. Mining has further imposed severe climate conditions on us, there is no rain and the lands are dry,’’ said Matambo.

She blamed the mining activities for tropical cyclones Idai and Kenneth which hit Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi recently.

The floods and strong winds affected about 2.2 million people, with extensive damage to property and numerous deaths.

The fight against climate change demanded action as people were dying, either from slow diseases, or severe weather conditions.

University of Fort Hare professor Sonwabile Mnwana said mining caused a climate catastrophe that had led to the country’s water crisis.

“The poorest of the poor are at the receiving end of mining health effects as mining results in the drying up of dams and rivers. This negatively affects communities that depend on rivers for water supply. It leads to deeper levels of poverty as people cannot farm anymore,’’ said Mnwana.

Wits’ Dr Victor Munnik argued that mines perpetuated colonial rule.

Munnik said the Chamber of Mines had changed its name to the Minerals Council of South Africa, but questioned if their mandate had changed from that under colonial rule.

He said mining bosses had formed associations with politicians and ownership of mines failed to liberate the resources.

Munnik said there needed to be a redress of economic means as there should also be jobs created in the treatment sector, not just mining. He said radical transition was needed and necessary for the future in the fight against mining corporates.

Riverlea Mining Forum chairperson Mark Kayter said Johannesburg’s poisonous mine dumps might be getting a lot of tourist attention, but for mining communities, they stood as judges that decide who dies next.

He said the sun was getting hotter and the sand drier, making it easier for winds to blow huge amounts of the sand containing chemical substances into nearby communities.

“When the dusts blows over our towns we are forced to stay indoors or wear masks due to high levels of polluted air,’’ said Kayter.

Suzan Moraba from Emalahleni in Mpumalanga said coal mining was the biggest contributor to climate change as the burning of coal released poisonous gases that polluted the air, soil and water.

She appealed for government’s assistance to stop emissions emanating from coal mining companies.

– news@citizen.co.za

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