Communities in Limpopo surrounding one of the world's biggest platinum mines have accused its owner, Valterra Platinum, of exposing them to health and environmental risks.
They also claim they were forcibly removed from their ancestral homes to make way for the expansion of Mogalakwena Mine, 30km northwest of Mokopane, and have raised concerns about a possible tailings dam failure after a safety drill last year.
Mogalakwena, Valterra's flagship mine, is the world's largest open pit mine and was established just over 30 years ago. Valterra, previously known as Anglo American Platinum, was majority owned by Anglo American Plc until last year when Anglo divested from the platinum business following a $39bn (R690bn) takeover bid by BHP Billiton.
Valterra began trading on the JSE as a stand-alone business in May, with a secondary listing kicking off on the London Stock Exchange a month later.
When Business Times visited this week, villagers complained of being exposed to heavy dust, especially after it rains, which they said was negatively affecting their health and contaminating their drinking water.
Caroline Legodi, from Ga-Molekane village, said her child had contracted asthma and now relies on a pump to control her breathing as a result of the high dust levels from the tailings dam.
“I took my eight-year-old to the doctor,” she said. “The doctor asked what kind of area we lived in. After conducting tests, the doctor said the sinus could be related to the dust around our area.”
The community is anxious that the tailings dam will fail after the company distributed flyers instructing them to run for cover in the event of a collapse. They accuse Valterra of not being transparent about the dangers of the dam and safety precautions to take should it fail.
Madimetja Phihlela, who has lived in Ga-Molekana since 2006, said he was worried that the tailings dam could burst at any time.
“It's not safe, and we have been complaining about it,” he said. “The mine handed out leaflets last year telling us what to do if the tailings dam [bursts]. The pamphlet said if we hear a siren, we must run. What happens when the sirens ring at night? What happens when the sirens ring and you are not at home with your children? What happens to the elderly and the disabled? The tailings dam must go so we can be safe.”
Phihlela said dust formations were also a problem in the area as they often contaminated drinking water.
“In August, we cannot drink water from our tanks because the dust goes in there. You cannot eat or cook because the dust is too much. There is also a smell from the tailings.”
Victor Baloyi, the Communal Property Association chairperson, said the community suffered severe violations of both human and environmental rights, and had filed complaints at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
Victor Mavhidula, spokesperson for the SAHRC in Limpopo, confirmed receiving the complaints.
“I can confirm that the SAHRC Limpopo provincial office investigated many complaints received from community members relating to alleged human rights violations in and around Mapela,” Mavhidula said, without sharing details of the investigations.
Baloyi said the community was suffering due to repeated pollution of the river system and lived in constant fear of the tailings dam collapsing.
He said the dam, situated just 40m from residential homes, poses a serious and growing risk. “Our community fears a disaster akin to the Brumadinho collapse in Brazil could occur here. We live under constant anxiety for our safety and our children’s futures.”
The Brumadinho tailings dam at the Córrego do Feijão iron ore mine collapsed in Minas Gerais, Brazil in 2019. It unleashed a mudflow of around 12 million cubic metres, engulfing the mine’s headquarters, a cafeteria and nearby communities, killing 270 people.
A tailings dam that burst in Jagersfontein in the Free State in 2022 left three people dead and several others missing.
Cindy Maneveld, Valterra's external communications manager, said their tailings dams were strong, continuously monitored, met global best practice standards, and were managed for safety.
“That is why we even practice disaster management drills, which is the responsible thing to do,” she said. “When we conduct a relocation, we do so following consultations and agreement with them [local residents] and we reimburse them, build new houses and social infrastructure, and ensure they are not impacted negatively by the relocation.”
She said the Mogalakwena mine was a large open pit mine surrounded by 64 villages with about 364,000 people living around its boundary, including 70% of its 8,500 employees and contractors.
The Mogalakwena operation was refining a detailed plan, undertaking analysis and modelling different geotechnical and environmental conditions to ensure the continued safety of the tailings dam, she said.
“Furthermore, as part of the GISTM [global industry standard on tailings management] plan, workshops have been held to equip and educate communities on emergency preparedness. Community members from Mogalakwena’s host communities participated in these workshops to gain essential skills for managing potential emergencies and understanding effective response strategies.”
Maneveld said the company was committed to zero harm and the safety of surrounding communities.
“Valterra Platinum is aware of the concerns raised and continues to engage with host communities in a respectful and lawful manner. The company is committed to zero harm, and the safety and wellbeing of the communities surrounding our operations is of the utmost importance to us. We take all matters relating to our host communities seriously and remain steadfast in maintaining open and respectful dialogue with all our stakeholders.”
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