“An Onslaught of Mining”: Newcastle Residents Fight to Stop the Digging at Their Doorstep

In the rolling hills of northern KwaZulu-Natal, a quiet but determined battle is unfolding. The Save, Serve and Protect Newcastle (SSPN) non-profit organisation is raising the alarm over what it describes as an “onslaught of coal mining applications” threatening to encircle the greater Newcastle region, with potentially devastating consequences for the people who call it home.

The group is tracking what it believes to be hundreds of new mining applications across the magisterial districts of Newcastle, Utrecht, and Vryheid. In the Amajuba District alone, 60 applications are on the table, with over 30 already approved. For residents, this isn’t just about industrial expansion; it’s about the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the safety of their neighbourhoods.

Health, Homes, and Hollowed-Out Ground

The organisation’s leaders, Kush Singh and Mandy Austin, paint a stark picture of the future if these mines proceed, especially those proposed perilously close to residential areas. They warn of a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses, skin conditions, and other serious diseases, particularly for the most vulnerable: children and the elderly.

The risks extend beyond the air. “The community is facing a real risk of vital water resources being contaminated,” they state, highlighting that pollution would not be contained to Newcastle’s borders.

A critical point of contention is the flood-prone land along the Ncandu River, where several applications have been submitted. “Should these plans go ahead, we will almost certainly experience even worse flooding,” they warn. Furthermore, they fear the blasting from nearby mines could destabilise the ground, posing a “very real chance” of sinkholes forming under residential suburbs.

A Report Citing Constitutional Violations

The SSPN has escalated its fight by compiling a formal report that frames the proposed mining as a matter of constitutional and human rights. The report argues the projects violate:

• Section 24 of the Constitution: The right to an environment not harmful to health or well-being.

• The Right to Property and Dignity: Due to risks of displacement, pollution, and loss of livelihood.

• Key Environmental Laws: Including the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the National Water Act.

The organisation contends that the approval process lacks transparency and suppresses meaningful community participation. It also warns of severe, long-term damage to regional food and water security, with mining operations threatening to deplete and contaminate groundwater, destroy wetlands, and degrade high-potential agricultural land.

“We are not opposed to mining in principle,” the group clarifies, “but we want applications and approvals to be handled legally and in areas that do not threaten people, animals or biodiversity.”

For now, the community’s plea hangs in the balance, a call for scrutiny against the momentum of extractive industry. The Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs has been asked to respond, but for the residents of Newcastle, the stakestheir health, their homes, and their children’s future could not be higher.

{Source: Citizen}

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