By Palesa Matlala
· Investigators say the dam was built on unstable ground and engineers warned about safety risks long before it collapsed.
· Five people, including engineers and managers, are facing charges including murder and breaking health and safety laws.
An independent report has found that the deadly Jagersfontein mine dam collapse could have been prevented — and that the mine may have ignored warning signs for years.
The report was released by Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and carried out by experts from the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand.
It found that the tailings dam walls were unstable and built on top of flooded, weak material. The collapse on 11 September 2022 was the result of long-term engineering failures, ignored red flags, and poor oversight from authorities.
The report also states that the mining company could have known the dam was in danger as early as 2019.
Letsoha-Mathae said the government has strong evidence and is confident the courts will hold those responsible accountable.
“We promised the people of Jagersfontein that we would pursue this matter, and we are. The investigation was not done by government, but by institutions of higher learning. It was a transparent process,” she said.
Five people — including engineers, a compliance officer and an operations manager, are now facing charges of murder, malicious damage to property and violations of the Health and Safety Act.
The report found that the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) issued a directive in late 2020 ordering the mine to stop dumping waste into the dam until a closure plan was submitted. Operations were stopped in January 2021 but resumed in June, even though the closure plan had not been accepted.
The dam’s steep walls, poor design and lack of proper drainage made the structure dangerously weak, the experts said.
Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Jacob Mahlobo said he believes the courts will find the mine guilty.
“On instruction from President Cyril Ramaphosa, I, Mayor Tseletsele and Dr Tseliso Ntili from the Department of Water and Sanitation laid a case so the matter could be properly investigated,” said Mahlobo.
Pictured above: Jagersfontein mine dam collapse site
Image source: Supplied
