Bloem Water’s statement comes after a mine dam wall collapsed in the area, which affected over 200 families. The entity’s Operations and Maintenance Manager, Maruping Rapudungoane, says the water quality in the area is regularly tested to see if there have been any changes and so far the water quality adheres to the SANS 241 standard and is safe for consumption. The water treatment plant in the area was not damaged due to the dam wall’s collapse but was down for the duration of when there was no electricity. Rapudungoane states there have been water tankers deployed for people whose taps were destroyed by the disaster, and in the surrounding areas, residents can continue to drink tap water as it is safe.

ALSO READ: Meals on Wheels pledges support for #JagersfonteinDisaster victims

Since the disaster, various organisations and people have pledged to lend a hand in donations to people in the area. Meals on Wheels has assisted over 2000 people with meals at least three times a day. The Chief Executive Officer, Nelisa Mabenge, previously said they have been providing clean water for the victims, and they saw it fit to also provide vouchers since the victims lost their belongings. In addition, the non-profit organisation has also provided residents with blankets and they are currently looking into the clothing items as well as to make sure that the right sizes are distributed. “Our caregivers who are qualified will now be coming in to profile what psychological support is needed for the victims in order to help them mentally and emotionally as well,” she said.

ALSO READ: #JagersfonteinDisaster: China donates blankets and food

The office of the Chinese Consul-General in South Africa has also made a donation of blankets and food parcels. Handing over the donation to the Free State premier, Sisi Ntombela, was the deputy consul-general, Yujiang Zhou. He said at the hand-over of the donations that the small town of Jagersfontein was affected negatively by the pandemic and this has set them back even further, with consideration that the small population already has an 80% unemployment rate. "There is a lot more work that needs to be done in rebuilding that community, and this is just our part to play in assisting however we can."

ALSO READ: #OFMBusinessHour: Jagersfontein mine was 'a disaster waiting to happen'

Jagersfontein resident and community activist, Lebogang Phoofolo, believes that the slime dam in the mining town was always a disaster waiting to happen. The incident has claimed two lives, while two people are still missing. 

ALSO READ: Two still missing after #JagersfonteinDisaster

Phoofolo previously said the community has actively been demanding development from the mine for years and also raised concerns over the danger of the mining activities. He laments that these concerns went unanswered for years. Phoofolo, who is also a nurse by profession, said no one came to their aid despite their repeated calls for assistance from the provincial and national governments' leadership. He says now that disaster has struck, these officials are taking part in grand photo opportunities, when what the community needed most were change and development.  

ALSO READ: #JagersfonteinDisaster: ‘Proper leadership lacked in assessing mine’ – BMF

The Black Management Forum (BMF) has since voiced its view on the disaster. BMF’s chairperson in the Free State, Mosebetsi Dhladhla, said the managerial leadership of the Department of Mineral Resources, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, and the Department of Water and Sanitation should have taken a closer look to see if those tasked with certain aspects [as far as the mine is concerned] fully complied with the law. “These are the three stakeholders who should have checked that the mine is operating within proper conditions,” he adds. In addition, the managerial leadership of the mine owners, including the previous ones, should have played their role in ensuring the mine is in its best condition. “All of the stakeholders of the mine had a responsibility to the community of Jagersfontein and we believe the managers of those stakeholders have failed the community,” says Dhladhla.

ALSO READ: #JagersfonteinDisaster: Damage 'catastrophic', says human rights lawyer

eNCA has since reported that human rights lawyer, Richard Spoor, believes disaster could've been avoided if the mining company, Jagersfontein Development, followed orders from authorities. He said there was an order from the Water Affairs Department back in 2020, ordering the company to stop dumping in the dam. "Well the damages and the harm people have suffered is catastrophic, also the possibility of heavy rains this summer season is coming... measures need to be put in place to ensure that the contaminated tailings aren't released into the water system. So, there's a risk of [further] disaster, there's a risk of much more significant pollution and contamination of water resources. It's going to take a really big effort on the part of the government and the mine to limit damage to what we've seen to date," he said.

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