Sasol responds to allegations of a sinkhole in Ext 22, eMbalenhle
Sasol also alerted the municipality to the requirements of the mine health and safety regulations in respect to the construction of structures on previously undermined land and encouraged the municipality to perform a risk evaluation process on the specific land, in line with the mine health and safety regulations.
Residents whose RDP houses were built on top of what is believed to be a large sinkhole, want Govan Mbeki Municipality to relocate them to a safer place.
They believe their lives are in danger and the ground might cave in under them any day. Ridge Times has published several stories about this area and asked the municipality for comment on each, but the GMM remained mum.
Sasol said it concluded its mining activities almost 30 years ago in the area now known as Ext 22 of eMbalenhle. The housing development took place years later.
Nomia Machebe, manager of media and communications at Sasol, said in September 2010 that they informed the municipality that housing development was being done in eMbalenhle on a piece of land where underground mining activities had previously taken place.
Machebe also said during January 2018 Sasol drew the municipality’s attention to the fact that the Ext 22 development had expanded onto areas Sasol believed posed a risk due to previous underground mining activities.
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“In 2020, Sasol also launched an investigation into claims that mining activities had caused damage to homes in Ext 22.
“The investigation revealed that no underground mining had occurred during or after the establishment of this extension.
“At the time, Sasol offered reasonable assistance by making available information regarding its underground mining activities that could have assisted the municipality in addressing this matter,” said Machebe.
Machebe said as a responsible citizen, Sasol also alerted the municipality to the requirements of the mine health and safety regulations with respect to the construction of structures on previously undermined land and encouraged the municipality to perform a risk evaluation process on the specific land, in line with the mine health and safety regulations.
She said Sasol also alerted the Department of Mineral and Energy of this matter and she said as a company they continue to support the municipality and remain committed to the safety and health of its employees, community, and the environment.
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