DRD Gold meets with Riverlea Mining Forum
The meeting was attended not only by the RMF but also some concerned residents of Riverlea.
The Riverlea Mining Forum (RMF) was invited to a meeting with a representative from the DRD (formerly Durban Roodepoort Deep) Gold Ergo, and the meeting took place while walking in the mine. The DRD Gold is the company that owns the mine in zone 1.
The meeting was attended not only by the RMF but also some concerned residents of Riverlea. According to Louis Kleynhans environmental manager of DRD Gold Ergo, the company has been operating at this mine for the past 6 years and allegedly has a 10-year plan which includes the rehabilitation of the mine.
DRD Gold ergo also plans on removing the trees on the mine. Residents asked if the people from this community would get the job of removing the trees, but was met with uncertainty.
David van Wyk, a lead researcher for Bench Marks Foundation also attended the meeting and brought up the safety and health of people and children the community.
The mine is easily accessible for anyone, the mine also has many holes which fills with water during the rain and children in the community play in this contaminated water, which is a health risk for the children.
Van Wyk stated that he spoke to the Zama Zamas (Illegal miners) and they told him that the water levels has come up from 25 levels for about 2000 metres, they are now at level 5 this means that they are 200 to 250 metres below the houses surrounding the mine but the water levels will increase because the tunnels are filling with water.
In mines the water becomes acidic because it mixes with oxygen, sulphur and pyrites (pyrites is in the ore of unused mines) and as the mines flood the water that is discharged from the mine is a toxic mix of heavy metals,
“This water moves up and up in the mine and in Davidsonville it is already pouring out close to a children’s play park across a Primary School,” said van Wyk. “Every mine should be within 500 metres of a community or public infrastructure, “stated van Wyk, there is no exclusion zone between the houses and the mine.
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