The outskirts of Swaneville present a picturesque landscape, with a serene blue water swamp, birds gliding gracefully overhead, and livestock grazing peacefully, offering a refreshing contrast to the township. However, Swaneville and Slovoville experienced flooding challenges in the past few years. These challenges stemmed from the storm water system at Rietvallei Extension 5, which unlawfully discharged into Harmony’s evaporation pond, compounded by the malfunctioning Mogale City pump station, as well as a leak in the Rand water pipe. Consequently, both water and untreated sewage incapacitated Harmony’s evaporation pond, surpassing its designed capacity and eventually flooded nearby residences.
Following several discussions with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and on request by Harmony, a directive was issued on January 6, 2023, aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). This directive permitted the company to pump excess water from the flooded evaporation pond into the Klip River stream for a period of 12 months. To date, Harmony has spent nearly R8 million on this project which included the construction of a 4.5m deep storm water trench, upgraded pumping infrastructure and replaced a lay flat pipe with a High-Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) pipe. This was done in an effort to protect the Harmony TSF and to assist the municipalities in reducing the flooding risk in the residential area of Swaneville, as well as at the nearby Slovoville Primary School… The impact of the flooding has led to a relocation of 28 households. The municipality to provided alternative accommodation for the affected families. This disaster has prompted local authorities to form a task team that will implement corrective measures to prevent a similar catastrophe, especially during the heavy rains of summer.
Swaneville Councillor Nenzani Witbooi, explained that a task team had been established. This task team which includes the two local municipality, COGTA, office of the premier and Harmony are actively engaging to develop preventative strategies and establish a permanent solution.
The proposed solution involves creating a trenching system with durable pipes that will direct water flow towards the Kliprivier, on the other side of the Cooke 2 mining shafts, forming a functional drainage system. The City must now provide designs for the servitudes, and once approved, the project can begin. Witbooi expressed hope that adverse weather conditions would not delay the scheduled work.
Another concern affecting the community’s environmental health is the dust from the mines active tailings facility, which is carried by the wind into the air. Natural seasonal variations, like the dry, windy periods during the Highveld spring in August, are not considered extreme events, they do exacerbate the dust problem. The community remembers that the mining company initially installed water sprinklers and dust netting to contain the dust and protect residents. However, these sprinklers were vandalized by criminal elements from informal settlements for commercial gain—a problem also reported in Thulani and Braamfischerville.
On a positive note, the mining company has successfully planted and grown grass on the side slopes of the tailings facility to contain dust, whilst demonstrating its commitment to caring for the communities near its operations. While there have been reports of various health issues related to dust inhalation, there is no evidence to suggest that air quality levels in the communities have reached alarming levels.
Addressing climate change requires educating and raising awareness among community members about how they can anticipate potential disasters and understand their responsibilities in reducing harmful emissions. Issues like illegal dumping and industrial pollution disproportionately harm vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and those with chronic health conditions. These groups serve as baseline indicators for protecting the broader population in matters of environmental air quality. Environmental greening initiatives should be encouraged to improve the immediate surroundings.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed the Climate Change Bill, which outlines a national climate change response, including mitigation and adaptation actions, constituting South Africa’s fair contribution to the global effort. Speaking on the need for climate change interventions, Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Director-General Nomfundo Tshabalala noted, “It is indeed true that climate change impacts have intensified, manifesting through increased frequencies of extreme events such as flooding, heatwaves, and droughts, among others. These extreme events have grown in both intensity and frequency, calling for concerted action across all spheres of society.”
This article was supported with funding and research by OpenUp and Africa Data Hub, https://africadatahub.org
Jerry Sokhupe
Soweto Sunrise News
