Premier Mokonyane welcomes court order on Kagiso mining
Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, on behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government, welcomes the court order made by the South Gauteng High Court, ordering Mintails SA (Pty) Ltd and Mogale Gold Ltd to cease mining operations, pending compliance with the directive issued by the Minister of Mineral Resources, Susan Shabangu on 17 January 2014.
This follows the complaints that were lodged by the residents of Kagiso Extension 1, including the newly-developed Sinqobile residential development, to the Mogale City Local Municipality about the cracking of walls and shattering of windows of their newly-built houses, especially in Sinqobile, Phase 3. The damages were attributed to the new mine's close proximity to the residential area.
The Gauteng Provincial Government, which acted in the interests of the affected residents of Kagiso, issued an application at the South Gauteng High Court seeking an urgent interim interdict restraining Mintails from conducting any blasting activities in and around Kagiso with immediate effect.
Mining operations on the mine were later suspended by the Minister of Mineral Resources after preliminary investigations into Mintail's operations established that the company had contravened the conditions of its mining licence.
The anomalies that were found during the investigation include:
- Mining operations taking place with a major power line situated 100 meters from the high-wall of the eastern side of the pit.
- Failure to implement the approved Social and Labour Plan, with emphasis on human resource development and local economic development.
- The environmental impacts of opencast mining in close proximity to residential areas, and more particularly the public safety risks associated with tremors, percussion and fly rock resulting from site specific actions and activities are not provided for in the approved Environmental Management Programme.
"We call upon all affected parties, more especially the residents of Kagiso, to refrain from violent acts and to respect the court order, which was sought by the Gauteng Provincial Government to protect their interests," said Mokonyane.
For more information contact:
Premier's spokesperson, Thebe Mohatle
Cell: 082 373 1146
