“ Theyʼre not sealing anything, not rehabilitating. They are simply capping them,” said Kayter, referring to a concrete slab with an emblem of a skull and crossbones etched into it.
The Hawk reached out to Mintek for clarification about the capping but did not receive a response.
Some of the capped shafts are in George Harrison Park, the site of the first gold discovery in South Africa in 1886. The park has provincial Heritage Site status.
Kayter said mining at George Harrison Park was discontinued after Central Rand Gold, the previous owner of the mine, went into liquidation. The capped shafts are now ownerless, and miners called Zama zamas have begun to illegally mine in the abandoned areas.
In fact, according to Kayter, the concrete caps put on the old shafts actually encourage illegal mining rather than deter it.
“ Rehabilitating would be like filling them up and closing up permanently,” Kayter said.“ They just kept putting a lid on it … that tells the Zama zamas where the shaft is. So you just come at night and then you can just open up and then youʼre back in business.”
Members of the Riverlea Mining Forum plan to continue pressuring the DMRE, and the mining industry, with the hope that those companies responsible for the environmental damages are liable and conduct proper rehabilitation protocols.
The Hawk asked DMRE officials for comment on residentsʼ complaints and concerns about mine pollution but did not receive a response.
“ We canʼt allow these people to just come and do as they please,” Kayter said.“ Letʼs tackle them. Letʼs fight. Letʼs see how far we can get with this.”
Meanwhile residents of Riverlea continue to struggle with mining-related pollution in their water, soil and in the air. Spalding said she worries that without proper rehabilitation of the mines, toxic dust from the tailings will take her as their next victim.
“ Thereʼs days and nights where I think Iʼm going to die now,” she said, holding back tears.“ Itʼs terrible.”
Source: https:// sjuhawknews. com / 34713 / showcase / mine-dumps-expose-communityto-health-issues