An area on the outskirts of Emalahleni has joined the growing list of areas seemingly beyond the effective control of government. An area near Duvha Park is riddled with pits dug by illegal coal miners, scattered with abandoned or deserted mining machines, and blanketed by the smoke and fumes of burning coal fires that are running out of control. Despite this having been a problem for months, SAPS have failed to take effective action, the local municipality has ignored it, the owner of the mining right has blocked action and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has taken no discernable action.
This is what it looks like when unregulated, illegal mining meets governance failure – a fire in a coal mine that has been burning for weeks, leaving nearby communities choking in the fumes. Perhaps most worryingly, nobody knows the extent to which fires may be burning underground.
Steve Tshwete municipality in Mpumalanga is trying its best thedailyvox.co.za - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thedailyvox.co.za Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.