Gauteng’s drinking water is under threat as a result of a decision by the East Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM) to stop pumping water from its Boksburg workings, the United Association of South Africa (Uasa) said on Thursday.
The trade union on Thursday called on the government and especially Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk to intervene urgently in the matter.
ERPM, the troubled 110-year-old gold producer, on Wednesday announced it will on Monday next week stop pumping water as a consequence of its deteriorating financial position.
”The cost of pumping is approximately R4-million a month, which ERPM has had to bear in full since a pumping subsidy averaging R1,7-million a month from the government was suspended last month,” the mine said in a statement.
Uasa said the move will pollute the Vaal River, the source of drinking water for Gauteng.
Uasa mineral resources spokesperson Tim Kruger added that ERPM’s workings are also located in a natural dolorite basin. The flooding of the workings could cause sink holes, Kruger said, and could flood other mines.
Kruger said the R1,7-million the government paid the mine to subsidise the pumping and treatment of water — and stopped paying in April — was ”small change” when measured against the social, economic and environmental impact of polluted water flowing into the Vaal through a series of East Rand wetlands. Similar concerns were expressed in early 1999.
At the time, ERPM was part of a project purifying millions of litres of polluted underground water pumped from mine shafts. The water was pumped into storage dams, where it was treated and eventually discharged into the Klipspruit, which flows into the Vaal Barrage.
After mining activities were halted in mid-1999 and pumping halted, polluted water did indeed flow straight into the Klipspruit, which environmental critics said was already heavily polluted from years of abuse by mines, industry and nearby residents.
Crown Gold Recoveries, a 60%-40% joint venture between black empowerment consortium Khumo Bathong Holdings and Durban Roodepoort Deep took over the bankrupt mine in 2001. — Sapa