After opening a case against the mine at the Jagersfontein Police Station on Friday 4 November 2022, Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, David Mahlobo, said the department received a report that the JDP mine operation had a huge impact on water resources during the commencement of the operation. He says the department gave an authorisation to the mine at some point to use the water systems in a required manner. 

He says the department had a series of engagements with representatives of the mine regarding the structure of the mine dam. However, the mine chose to bring their own experts who claimed in their report that the structure of the mine dam wall was still in a good condition. Within a couple of weeks, the structure collapsed. Mahlobo adds that the department conducted an assessment following the incident which resulted in the loss of lives, leaving many people displaced. He says they discovered that the mine dam wall had two chambers. Chamber one had collapsed and chamber two was still not in a good condition.

"We have the responsibility as a government to act when an owner of a facility like this failed to take certain actions. Today, on the basis of that we have completed with our own assessment, we're now opening a case on the basis of the National Water Act," he said.

ALSO READ - #JagersfonteinDisaster: Ntombela sends management teams

On 11 September 2022, residents of Jagersfontein experienced a traumatic incident which left more than 200 people homeless, two were discovered dead, and one woman is still missing.

ALSO READ: #JagersfonteinDisaster: Ntombela sends management teams

The mine has since the incident availed R20 million to assist with the disaster.

OFM News