Three more open cast coalmines lurk on the VKLM horizon
Citizens of Sundra, Eloff, Rietkol and Droogefontein, opposing the planned mining activities, attended the meeting in large numbers.
With Delmas being a coal-rich area, more mine tycoons have now set their sights on Delmas and surrounding areas.
The only difference is that the three latest mine applications will most likely affect residents, farmers and business owners in Sundra, Rietkol, Droogefontein and Eloff, as mines are seeking prospecting rights on the borders of these towns and small holdings.
Tentra (Pty) Limited is applying for coal mining rights in the Rietkol area that includes portions 1, 5,6, 9, 70, 77, 78, 90, 99 and the remaining extent of the farm Rietkol 237IR, the heart of the town which includes wetlands, farming activities and businesses, an area of 2741.49ha in total.
Geovicon Environmental (Pty) Limited, appointed as an independent environmental consulting company, prepared and submitted the draft environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the proposed Rietkol Colliery.
Jaments (Pty) Limited is applying for rights to prospect coal in the Droogefontein area.
Thanyane Holdings (Pty) Limited has applied for rights to prospect for coal in the area between Tubular and Daybreak, in a total of 133.712ha.
Both Jaments and Thanyane appointed Singo Consulting (Pty) LTD to handle the EIAs on their behalf.
For the residents and concerned parties in these areas, the environmental studies mean it will leave them without sufficient water.
These communities are already suffering under severe water shortages where many or most residents go without water for days.
More concerns include air- and noise pollution, blasting, the use of roads which are already in the worst of condition, safety and security of families and their livelihoods, indigenous vegetation which includes the famous vlei lily, also known as the Schoeman lily, as well as the wetlands for which the area is well-known.
In the EIA, they referred to the access roads as ‘unnamed roads’, but include the R555, Main Road, the Katboschfontein Road, Die Laan in Eloff and many more.
A committee named DRES (Delmas, Rietkol, Eloff and Sundra and the surrounding areas) was formed and many concerned citizens joined to get information about the three proposed mines.
They held a meeting between concerned citizens and Singo in Sundra on Saturday, where Smangaliso Jiyane from Singo did a presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Citizens of Sundra, Eloff, Rietkol and Droogefontein, opposing the planned mining activities, attended the meeting in large numbers.
During the meeting, residents voiced their concerns about the devastating effect of blasting on buildings in and around the proposed area, the wetlands, safety and security, the condition of roads, the effect on crops and farmland, graves, residents’ health, the interruption of farming activities, air quality, the supply of electricity and most of all water.
According to Singo, the use of boreholes will be predominant. Because of previous and current municipal water supply problems most residents face daily, many residents have invested in boreholes and groundwater contamination was also of great concern.
The vague answers provided by Singo seemed not to meet the approval of residents.
The next meeting with Geovicon concerning the Rietkol Colliery will take place on April 15. The time and venue are yet to be confirmed.
For more information, contact Adrie Joubert from DRES at 083 299 4023. This is a developing story. Read more in the next issue of Streeknuus.
