Minerals Council launches Jagersfontein relief fund

THE MINERALS Council South Africa said yesterday that it had launched an internal emergency Minerals Council Jagersfontein Relief Fund for its members to contribute towards urgent humanitarian assistance, the clean-up of the affected area, and assist with the reconstruction of infrastructure after the collapse of a tailings dam at the Free State town.

The Minerals Council said it set a target of R50 million for the Jagersfontein Relief Fund and it had requested contributions from its member companies and associations.

The historic dam tailings collapsed on Sunday, in the Kopanong Local Municipality in the Free State, leading to the death of one person, and the displacement of many others.

The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined. The mine’s tailings dam collapsed at about 6am on Sunday.

“The funds will be administered by the Minerals Council, which will be accountable to its board on how they are spent,” it said.

While the owners of the Jagersfontein assets are not Minerals Council members, the council said it had sent a senior technical team to the site on Monday to assess the damage and establish what the industry could do to assist families and the affected communities.

“Based on our assessment of the situation, we believe urgent steps must be implemented to provide emergency assistance, including contributing funds to provide food aid and shelter, to assist in the clean-up and contribute to some rebuilding for those affected by the disaster,” said the council.

Jagersfontein Developments, the company that owns the tailings dam that collapsed in Jagersfontein, said yesterday that it was mobilising extensive clean-up operations of the affected town and its surrounds and has been providing aid to the community members.

According to the company, an independent investigation had been launched as to the cause of the collapse and the company welcomed a commission of inquiry that would be led by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

“The company has already spent R600 000 of the R20m in relief funds it has made available for displaced residents by providing food parcels, necessary supplies and alternative accommodation for residents, as well as settling medical bills,” Jagersfontein Development said.

The company reported that water had been restored to the town on Monday and electricity was reconnected on Tuesday.

“The tailings dam remains stable, and waste is being pumped out of the dam. Engineers and inspectors are monitoring the surrounding environment, including rivers for pollution,” the company said.

Meanwhile, the South African Institution

of Civil Engineering (Saice) said it would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and belongings as a result of this tragedy, and wished those who were injured a speedy recovery.

“While we await the findings of the investigation, this incident highlights the importance of investing in the maintenance of existing infrastructure in South Africa, which Saice continues to be a strong advocate for,” it said.

It said through collaborative efforts and refocusing on how priorities were managed, solutions to mitigate challenges experienced by municipalities and owners of infrastructure could be found.

“We can avoid many man-made disasters if we start working together to steer funds towards regular maintenance by trained engineers,” the group said.

The group said it currently had representation at the affected site in the Free State and was also evaluating the current damage.