Slovoville mine dump rehabilitation remains uncertain amid compliance concerns

Residents of Slovoville near Roodepoort are still waiting to find out when a nearby mine dump will be rehabilitated, after the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources confirmed that the company responsible had failed to comply with an earlier directive.

The department has been engaging with Simmer Deep Gold Mining over its compliance with mining regulations, but has not provided a timeline for rehabilitation or confirmed whether concerns about potential environmental and health risks have been addressed.

Experts have warned that residents could be exposed to hazardous substances if the mine tailings storage facility is not properly rehabilitated.

How the mine dump changed ownership

The tailings facility was created by the South Roodepoort Main Reef Mining Company before the introduction of mining legislation in 2004.

After the company was liquidated, entrepreneur Omphemetse Wilson Masilo acquired the facility and the land through the liquidation process in 2008.

Masilo owns Simmer Deep Gold Mining, which specialises in recovering gold from old mine dumps.

The company received a mining right on 3 December 2015 under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA).

The facility has since become the focus of concerns about its rehabilitation and the potential risks it poses to nearby communities.

Department confirms failure to comply

In a letter dated 6 October, the department responded to Bongumusa Mbatha, director of Eyesizwe Mining Communities, who had requested an update on the company’s compliance status and the enforcement measures being taken.

The department confirmed that Simmer Deep Gold Mining had failed to comply with a pre-compliance directive issued in March.

It said inspections were conducted in June, although those inspections covered other aspects of the company’s mining right.

The company had also failed to submit compliance reports showing that the required corrective measures had been implemented.

Following an inspection on 12 June, the department issued a further directive on 29 June under section 93(1)(b)(i) of the MPRDA.

Despite these steps, the department has not confirmed when the outstanding compliance issues must be resolved or when rehabilitation work could begin.

“There are further engagements taking place with the right holder in terms of the MPRDA,” the department said.

No final decision on rehabilitation

In response to further questions about the inspections and the company’s compliance, the department said discussions with the mining right holder were continuing.

It added that no final decision had been reached and that relevant stakeholders would be informed once a decision was made.

The department also said reaching an amicable solution was in the interests of all stakeholders.

However, its responses did not clarify whether the potential environmental risks associated with the tailings facility had been addressed.

There is also no confirmed timetable for further enforcement action or the start of rehabilitation.

Community representative questions accountability

The lack of a clear timeline has left residents waiting for answers about the future of the mine dump and the measures being taken to protect the surrounding community.

Mbatha criticised the department’s handling of the matter, accusing it of failing to hold the mining right holder accountable.

The department has confirmed the company’s non-compliance but has not publicly outlined a final enforcement decision or a rehabilitation schedule in the information provided.

Until further details are released, the timing of rehabilitation at the Slovoville mine dump remains uncertain.

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Source: The Citizen