Climate activists Extinction Rebellion Vaal and the Coal-ition Committee say a lack of transparency about electricity usage, the potential damage from blasting, threats to heritage sites and socioeconomic disruptions from job losses at the planned project are of great concern.

Listen to this article 8 min Listen to this article 8 min On Friday morning, Vaal residents gathered outside the Canyon Coal offices in Sandton to protest against the proposed Sukuma Coal Mine Project near Vereeniging in Gauteng.

The protest, organised by the environmental justice organisations Extinction Rebellion Vaal and the Coal-ition Committee, aimed to raise awareness about the potential environmental and health impacts the project would have on the surrounding residential and farming communities.

Activists were dressed in black, with four individuals representing the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Department of Water and Sanitation, Department of Mineral Resources and Canyon Coal. They stood in front of a black coffin.

"The coffin represented the compromised natural resources like water, air, animals and people's health," said Mduduzi Tshabalala, an Extinction Rebellion Vaal activist.

The Sukuma Coal Mine Project, managed by Canyon Coal's affiliate Glubay Coal, involves establishing two open-cast coal mines in Springfield and Vlakfontein near Vereeniging.

"Those are sites located not far from people coming from Sebokeng, Waterdal, Dreamland, Roshnee, Redan, Meyerton and other surrounding suburbs in Vereeniging," said Tshabalala, who lives in Sebokeng. "The mine will impact underground water and bring more air pollution."

Mamosweu Tsoabi, an...