Report shows Jagersfontein mine may have known of dam instability since 2019
A new report into the 2022 Jagersfontein mine dam collapse suggests the mining company may have known about the dam’s instability
Image: Twitter/@GovernmentZA
A new report into the 2022 Jagersfontein mine dam collapse suggests the mining company may have known about the dam’s instability as early as 2019.
The collapse on 11 September 2022 claimed several lives, left one person missing, and caused widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. The report was launched in Jagersfontein by Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and was conducted by experts from the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand.
Letsoha-Mathae said the government had strong evidence against the mining company and was optimistic that the courts would rule in favour of justice for the victims.
“There is evidence that Jagersfontein Development (PTY) Ltd may have been aware of the instability of the tailing storage facility (i.e the tailings dam). The first signs of instability along the southern wall of the dam were identified in February 2019 (i.e more than 3 ½ years before the failure).”
Premier Letsoha-Mathae said she was happy that the report was out and, importantly, that the government had laid a charge with the South African Police Service against the mine company.
"We promised the people of Jagersfontein that we would pursue this matter, and we are. This government, having witnessed the devastation of the disaster caused by the collapse of the mine dam, laid a case with the police, and we are happy that the matter is currently in court. The investigation that led to the report was not done by the government, but by institutions of higher learning, and it was a transparent investigation,” she said.
Deputy Minister Mahlobo said he was optimistic that the court will rule against the mine company.
“As a caring government, and on the instructions of President Cyril Ramaphosa, myself, Mayor Tseletsele and Dr. Tseliso Ntili (Provincial head of Department of Water and Sanitation) laid a case against the company so that the matter could be investigated.
“We obviously cannot get into the merits of the case because it is in court, safe to say that we have strong evidence and it is a winnable case,” said Deputy Minister Mahlobo.