The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development rolled out a five-year plan for the management of acid mine drainage (AMD) in the province.
During a press conference held at the Ngonyama Lion Lodge at the Krugersdorp Game Reserve, the MEC of the Department, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza together with the Mogale City Mayor, Councillor Koketso Calvin Seerane addressed numerous members of the media about their plan of action.
AMD is produced when sulfide-bearing material is exposed to oxygen and water usually, but not exclusively, in iron sulfide-bearing rocks. Although this process occurs naturally, mining promotes AMD formation simply by increasing the quantity of sulphides exposed. It is the most difficult mine-waste problem to address, and emanates from both surface and underground workings, waste and development rock, tailings piles and ponds.
The MEC thanked the Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE) and environmentalists for bringing this problem to the province’s attention.
“Even though this is not really our problem, we [government] will deal with it together with the experts by allocating funds and conducting this plan with national government,” said Mayathula-Khoza.
Of the three basins in Gauteng identified with AMD, the western basin is the smallest.
The MEC acknowledged that those who were responsible for this mess should be held accountable for the clean-up, but they were long gone and that taxpayers were footing the bill.
On the upside, this clean-up project will create jobs and mining institutions of today are learning a great lesson regarding the future of mining.
After the MEC delivered her statement to the media, the floor was opened for questions.
The media raised two prominent questions: why is government only acting now and how much does it cost to clean up this problem?
Answers given were that government needed enough time to research and address the situation, and that it was not possible to predict how much this plan would cost the taxpayer.
After the conference, media had the opportunity to visit one of the affected sites located within the game reserve.
Do you feel government is doing too little too late regarding the AMD problem? Your comments on the matter will be highly appreciated.
Read the the full 41-page plan document here:
