Community members of Rietspruit said they had enough problems for a long times and they cannot bear it anymore.
According to Mr Joseph Ndzimande a community leader in the area, their problems started in 2002 after South32 Mine closed its operations.
He said they have engaged with the mine since then.
He said problems started when some of the employees were transferred to sister mines while others were left behind.
Another problem encountered was that according to Mr Ndzimande some of the employees were evicted from their houses and he said that some of the houses were given to people who had not worked for the mine.
“We have had our electricity been cut off by the Red Ants sent by the mine while negotiations were still going on with the local municipality about payments. Our main problems is the fires in the mine dumps, recently a seven-year-old girl was burned while she was playing with her friends near the mine dumps. The girl was rescued and was sent to hospital; she is receiving treatment as we speak,” stated Mr Ndzimande.
According to Mr Ndzimande this is not the first incident and they have tried on several times to engage with the mine about rehabilitation of the mine dumps.
A questionnaire was sent to the mine asking about means to rehabilitate the mine dumps to avoid such incidents after its operation closure.
We asked the mine why are the mine dumps not fenced or danger signs put to warn people about the fire in the mine dumps?
Another question asked was what is the long term programme about the former workers of the mine?
According to the law of the country before a closure certificate can be issued for any mine in South Africa, the environment has to be rehabilitated to a certain minimum standard.
In response the mine says that South32 is the managing partner of the Rietspruit Mine Services Joint Venture (the JV).
“The Rietspruit mine ceased operations in 2002. Employees of the former mine were given first preference in the sale of houses and those who did not exercise their option to buy houses were given notices to vacate the properties. Any failure to vacate led to the application of a legal eviction process. The issue of electricity supply to illegal occupants is a complex social and economic problem and one that needs to be collectively resolved. The JV is committed to meeting all its mine closure obligations and rehabilitation activity is continuing in a phased approach. Approximately 1 400 hectares of land has been successfully rehabilitated with 400 hectares remaining. Plans to rehabilitate the remaining 400 hectares are underway,” reads a statement from Hulisani Rasivhaga, in charge of communication, media and events.
It is also said that South32 conducts regular monitoring of the area, however fencing and cautionary signage at the site have been stolen on a number of occasions.
The mine stated that they are in the process of being replaced by the company, using suppliers from the local community.
With efforts to secure the area have previously been hindered by community protests, the company has engaged the community to ensure work to secure the site proceeds without further disruption.
According to a paper titled: From Legacy of the Mine, 2010-2013 the decommissioned Transvaal and Delagoa Bay Coal Mine is known to be one of the most dangerous abandoned mines in South Africa.
Mining at the state-owned colliery started around 1896.
Following closure in 1953, the area became unsafe because of the underground burning of the remaining support pillars.
Even before mining had stopped, underground fires occurred and the surface began to collapse.
Sinkholes and cracks appeared where the pillars had given way, allowing oxygen into the underground workings and fanning the fires.
The underground coal fire is an environmental catastrophe, characterised by the emission of noxious gases.
Such fires are respon-sible for atmospheric pollution, acid rain, land subsidence and increased coronary and respiratory diseases.
They destroy floral and faunal habitats and cause human suffering.
