The Department of Water and Sanitation is investigating the circumstances around the tragic deaths of the three boys in Siyanqoba.
The department’s spokesperson Themba Khumalo said a 16-year-old boy also drowned in the same dam a few weeks ago.
The dam is part of Eyethu Coal’s mining operations.
The dam is lined with a thick black plastic as it was used in mining activities, which, because of its slippery surface the boys slipped in and could not get out.
It is believed that about six boys went to play at the dam.
The department will this week contact the coal mine management to find out among others, why the dam was not fenced off as a safety measure.
The investigation will also establish if the mine did not violate clauses of the National Water Act.
“The department is concerned about poor safety measures at disused mines after the mining houses have closed operations down. The law stipulates that former owners of disused mines must take measures to ensure the safety of communities that live nearby. In terms of the National Water Act the mining houses must comply with the rehabilitation processes of the disused mines as well as the mine drainage regulations,” Khumalo said.
The department will also engage with its sister department, Mineral Resources, to also investigate whether the mine complied with its close down responsibilities.
