Kagiso and Tudor Shaft residents remain irate over the blasting operations of a local mining company, Mintails South Africa.
In 2015 the company was investigated by the Department of Mineral Resources for alleged non compliance and Mintails had to suspend their hard-rock and open-pit operations.
Residents of Kagiso, Mindalore and Tudor Shaft are the most affected and, in the past, have taken to the streets to protest in an effort to get their complaints heard.
Basil Fortuin of Mindalore remains affected by the company’s operations.
“Mintails sent a gentleman to take pictures of the existing cracks to our properties before their blasting operations started, but since they’ve been blasting, new cracks have appeared. We are unable to get hold of anyone from the company to do repairs or pay for repairs. My wife and children suffer from chronic sinusitis. Every day there is dust all over the house. People from areas such as Mindalore and Lewisham suffer because of it. We have been interviewed so many times but nothing seems to be happening,” he told the News.
Jack Bloom, DA shadow MEC for Health emphasised that the West Rand needs to be monitored, “We don’t pay enough attention to environmental health. I used to visit Tudor Shaft township often and even spent a night in a shack. I know that people’s general health is affected because they can get poisoned by the water. Breathing problems and toxic water are among the long-term effects.”
Mary Roets also showed the News cracks in her house she said were due to the mining operations.
Mintails community relations officer, Kabelo Mphake commented, saying, “Mintails do not have specific comment to make on general inquiries. We work closely with our regulators on all matters associated with our operations. Any notice issued by the regulator is done in terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act and could be in relation to a multitude of specific mining operations and activities.”
The News has made several attempts to contact the Department of Mineral Resources for comment, but without success.
The News will continue to follow up on this story and update its readers.
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