Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3 min read | 21:40 pm CAT

Weeks after the Jagersfontein disaster, residents are struggling with post-traumatic stresses. When a tailings dam collapsed, grey mud swept through the area. The sludge wiped away six houses, four community members died, dozens more were injured, and vehicles, heavy containers, water tanks, street lights and fences were carried downstream. The sludge covered farmland and grazing fields, ending in the Proses River some ten to fifteen kilometres away.

Benchmark Foundation researcher David van Wyk says the communities of Charlesville and Itumeleng are struggling with the aftermath of the dam’s collapse.

David has been researching the disaster. In an interview with Radio Islam International, he said the Northern wall of the tailing stem had become increasingly high, and its gradient was too steep.

The day before the tailings broke, employees of the mine warned management. The superiors then advised employees to return to work as if nothing would happen.

Around 2 am that morning, people heard rumbling, followed by the sight of water rushing down. At 6 am, the whole thing collapsed in one big explosion.

The tailings now drying out contain arsenic and possibly very poisonous silica.

According to Van Wyk, children and adults are starting to cough and develop nose bleeds.

He said six people in the last week had broken legs and so on from tailings collapsing underneath where they were walking.

He added that the health situation is very problematic.

Meanwhile, home officials had visited the area unannounced, which resulted in most people being unable to have their IDs and birth certificates replaced.

“These officials came and nobody actually knew they were there. The communication was really poor from government,” he says.

The community is also concerned that the mining company has not had any meetings with them a month later, and they now feel ignored and left to rot.

Listen below to the interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and David Van Wyk on Radio Islam’s podcast.