Notwithstanding the establishment of the Wonderfonteinspruit Regulators Steering Committee on the 21st of December 2007 and admirable intentions of the Wonderfonteinspruit Regulators Steering Committee to address an urgent environmental matter, and the honourable Minister’s response, the following issues remain unaddressed at the time of writing:
Government vs environmental group: the water war continues
Environmental group Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE) and the Department of Water Affairs continue to trade accusations in the media over the alleged pollution of major water catchment areas in Gauteng, following an investigation carried out by The New Age.
Scientist reviews NNR Report
Wonderfonteinspruit has resulted in contamination of parts of the region with mine spoil and tailings containing heavy metal, uranium and thorium series residues, the latter properly termed Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material – TENORM.
The battle over uranium: Just how bad is it?
One of the most abundant heavy metals in the earth’s crust, uranium is a known radiological element and toxin. It is also a major by-product of gold mining, historically one of South Africa’s greatest economic undertakings. The country additionally began mining specifically for uranium in 1949, primarily for export to the United States and other […]
Actions required by the Nuclear Regulator
The FSE has presented a proposal of recommended actions by the National Nuclear Regulator to deal with health risks and environmental hazards in the Witwatersrand Goldfields.
Where poison water seeps through the earth
Mariette Liefferink calls it the smell of death. And after all the years she has spent fighting mining pollution, the environmental activist doesn’t even gag at the strong stench of sulphur wafting from the old mining shaft behind her.
Omgewingsaktivis kla by OB nadat sy vergadering belet is
Die hoofamptenaar van die Federasie vir ’n Volhoubare Omgewing (FVO) wat op ’n vergadering oor die toekoms van die Wonderfonteinspruit en die Mooirivier in Potchefstroom weggewys is, het ’n klag by die openbare beskermer (OB) ingedien. Me. Mariëtte Liefferink het in ’n brief aan die OB beweer mnr. Ben Nell van die Tlokwe-plaaslike owerheid het […]