Reports of Another Dam Wall Collapse In South African Town Denied

Residents of Jagersfontein in the Free State province woke to a devastating mudslide on Sunday, September 11, 2022 as a wall of a dam - part of a disused diamond mine once owned by global mining giant De Beers - collapsed.

While town residents reported another dam wall collapse on September 27, the Free State Environmental Affairs Department's Dr Mbulelo Nokwequ said that based on assessments, there wasn't another dam wall collapse at Jagersfontein. He added that the residents are seeing water coming from a reservoir due to drainage from the recent rainfall, Eye Witness News reports.

In the September 11 incident, authorities said that one person died, while several others were reported missing. Cars and houses were swept away and there were ongoing reports of extensive damage to infrastructure. Many residents have lost all their possessions as they escaped.

In the latest incident, Xolani Tseletsele, the Koponong mayor said: "The water is running behind the community and not in the community. For now, there is no major impact or damage to already-destroyed infrastructure", he said.

There are hundreds of abandoned mines in South Africa. Human Rights Watch has said that a "combination of poor governance and business practices have left many communities living in their shadow".