Unattended non-operational mine shafts leading to growing illegal mining activities

Although there are laws are in place for the rehabilitation of mines, many mine operators still leave their non-operational shafts unattended. This leads to a growing number of illegal mining activities.

Billions of rand have been set aside to ensure that proper close-out procedures are followed, however, this negatively impacts those living around the mining areas.

The discovery of 20 bodies alleged to be that of illegal miners in Orkney, North West, further highlights mine rehabilitation legislation that isn’t adhered to.

In the video below SABC reports on the 20 bodies of illegal miners found in Orkney:

David Van Wyk from the Benchmark Foundation, says this is despite the existing legislation, there are still many abandoned mines in the country.

“We have about 2 000 abandoned ownerless mines in this country despite the fact that the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act is very clear about mine closure. It describes what steps need to be taken in terms of mine closure. It also discusses what penalties there should be for mining companies that do not close properly.”

Van Wyk says billions have been set aside to rehabilitate unused mines, but that money has barely been used.

“There’s also a mine closure fund of R50 billion for the closure of mines in the country and that fund has not been used properly; it has hardly been used at all. Our concern as the Benchmark Foundation is the fact that we have legislation, the fact that we have money available but still mines are still not properly closed.”

Risk to safety and health of communities

Unsealed shafts that are not used, have become a serious risk to the safety and health of communities living nearby.

“I can point you to, Mintales in the last five or six years has been abandoned in Randfontein area, and Central Rand Gold was abandoned in the last two years in the Riverlea area and so on. Now these mines are always located very close to the communities and they pose a very serious risk,” Van Wyk elaborates.

Illegal miners opening closed shafts

Mining companies have previously sealed abandoned mine shafts, but this proved to be a futile exercise. This is as illegal miners open the shafts again.

A different solution, which could be costly and time-consuming, has been tabled.

Chief Inspector of Mines, David Msiza, says illegal mining is unsafe for everyone.

“We have been working together with the mining sector to ensure that they seal off the workplace in fact there is a challenge of after they seal off the illegal miners will break off the seals so what we would encourage them to fill those shafts which they have started the process of doing that. Illegal mining is unsafe to everyone including to illegal miners themselves.”

‘Bureaucratic processes slowing us down’

Meanwhile, mining companies attest to knowing their responsibility in rehabilitating, however, Sibanye Stillwater mine’s James Wellested says bureaucratic processes are slowing them down.

“The issue at the moment is getting closure certificates. It is quite difficult getting the DMRE to issue closure certificates, which will then allow us to close the mines and rehabilitate using the funds that we’ve set aside. There’s a delay so you end up utilising those funds for care and maintenance. We need to find solutions with the regulator to close these mines because a lot of the gold mines are coming to the end of their lives.”

Wellsted says these delays have caused illegal miners to move into mines with a detrimental effect on the surrounding communities.

“If we don’t get closure certificates, then the communities or the illegal mining gangs have got access to those operations. We’re obviously not actively mining in those operations, so they get in to continue to mine. That’s an ongoing problem as we’ve seen roads collapsing, water pipes, electricity to the communities and in general obviously safety and health issues cause these gangs are armed and violent.”

While mining has been the economic mainstay for many years, it is communities that now bear the brunt of the legacy left by mining.