Bethal farmers want answers from Department of Environmental Affairs regarding mining project

BETHAL – Farmers are upset over a company that wants to mine on farms near Bethal.

Farmers wrote letters to the Department of Environmental Affairs to reconsider giving the mining company the rights to mine.

The mining company, Canyoncoal, met with residents last year to hear their concerns and complaints.

Some of the complaints from farmers were that the roads surrounding Bethal will not be enough to carry the extra traffic in the form of trucks transporting coal to and from the mine.

Farmers are also concerned that the land where there will be mined, will not be rehabilitated in 10 years as the mining company claims.

“The law and the department fail us,” said a farmer, Mr Vlam Venter.

Mr Venter organised a meeting with other farmers when he heard about the potential mining in the area where he farms last year.

If Canyoncoal continues with their mining project, there will be a ditch 450m from Mr Venter’s house on his farm.

“They said it will be an open cast mine for the first year and then 10 years of mining, but the lifetime of coal is 25 years,” said Mr Venter.

Canyoncoal applied for a licence to mine in the area for 10 years and to remove 100 000 tons of coal monthly.

“They want to transport all that coal to the train tracks near Privaatskool Hoëveldrif.

“That means about 11km will be used by the trucks to transport the coal and the road will probably become a private mine road.

“We as farmers have many unanswered questions.”

Mr Venter commented on the impact studies report done by an independent company and made an appointment with officials of the Department of Mineral Rights in eMalahleni (Witbank) and wanted to know whether they had received his questions and comments.

They said they did, but admitted that it was unlikely that they would read all the comments and concerns.

He asked them to consider going through all the comments and they said he should send an e-mail.

“I sent the e-mail and still have not received feedback until today,” said Mr Venter.

“I also asked them to visit the farm so they could see what I was talking about.”

Canyoncoal said they would invite Mr Venter to other mines to see what they are doing there, but he has not received an invitation yet.

According to Mr Venter, studies showed that the real effect of the mining in the area will only be seen from 2036 to 2050.

“That means long after the mine closed, the real effects will hit us.

“The company who did the impact studies said the ground must be monitored and treated after the mine has closed, but who is going to do that if the mine is closed and all their employees are gone?”

In the comments that Mr Venter sent to the Department of Environmental Affairs, he said:

“We look at every project in isolation to get authorisation.

“Over time we land in an ugly, unfriendly and permanently destroyed environment.

“Just look at eMalahleni (Witbank), Middelburg and Ogies.”

He suggested that large, indigenous trees be planted to soften the harsh structures, noise and lighting. He further said:

“We all realise that mining is an important sector in the South African economy.

“We certainly all also realise that we damage the environment permanently.

“This is obvious from the specialist’s reports in terms of groundwater and subsistence.

“This report makes a very important point in reasoning that if Sasol does not exploit the coal seams in full, other companies will apply to do so.

“Which is exactly what we have experienced over the past year.

“What is worse, they want to build infrastructure and enter the coal seems via open cast pits and transport it by road.

“Surely every company minds its own business.

“However, I believe it is your, as environmentalists, Sasol’s and every other competitor and the government’s social responsibility to look at the bigger picture.

“It would just make sense that Sasol also mines the adjacent area with their existing infrastructure.

“Having said that, we still believe coal mining is a wrongdoing to the world as a whole and alternative energy sources have to be developed.

“It will, however, have a much lesser impact on our already destructed province.

“It cannot make sense to have social responsibility plans and our children inherit a destroyed landscape.

“If the present plans go ahead, the Olifants ecosystem will be destroyed.

“It cannot make sense that highly educated environmentalists help justifying it, who are we bluffing?”

Canyoncoal and the Department of Environmental Affairs did not comment at time of going to press.