Scores of farm dwellers near Middelburg in Mpumalanga's Highveld say they feel like they are sitting on a volcano that could erupt unexpectedly. The Mahlangu clan at Onverwacht Farm is among the big families living in housing units disfigured by cracks, threatening to collapse on them. Themba Mahlangu has accused mining giant, Mafube Coal Mine of causing these cracks through their regular blasting operations. The mining company is said to be owned by Exxaro and Thungela Resources Limited which, according to Mahlangu, ignored their request to be relocated to a safe site.

WIDENING CRACKS

Exxaro in the area was once accused of violating the rights of families from Leeu Bank Farm near Belfast, who took the mining giant to court after it refused to relocate them far from the mine. Mahlangu said the mine company has assisted some of their neighbours to relocate but refused to move his family, insisting that the blasting will not affect their houses. However, the widening cracks on the walls tell a deferent story. "We have many housing units in the yard as we are a big family and whenever there are blasting activities, our houses are damaged' said Mahlangu.

LOSING LIVESTOCK

The Sindane family from Leeu Bank Farm near Belfast, said even after taking the mining company to court after refusing to relocate them, they were not happy with the compensation offered. Vusimusi Sindane said while the case was in court, mining operations were also underway in their backyard ?" much to their displeasure. Sindane said his family was severely affected as huge mine trucks pass near their houses, causing cracks. An irate Sindane said his family has lost the bulk of its livestock after drinking contaminated water as a result of mining operations. "We have lost a great deal because of these mining operations. We lost 18 cattle after consuming polluted water and the expansion of these mining activities has left us with no grazing land' said Sindane.

ASKING FOR INTERVENTION

Amid all the frustrations, Mahlangu wrote a letter to the Department of Mineral, Resources and Energy (DMRE) asking for their intervention. In response, DMRE ordered the mine "to not conduct any unnecessary blasting, but only when it's essential.'  The letter read in part that: "Based on the above reasons and in an attempt to safeguard the lives of persons at the mine and the community, the mine is hereby instructed to stop the use of explosives except to conduct an audit and perform essential work, for example, the pumping of water.'Bontle Mfolo, Reginal Manager of Thungela Resources Limited said Mafube Coal has conducted numerous internal investigative efforts, including several specialist studies and the installation of a blasting monitor device at the Mahlangu residence.  "After a structural engineer inspected the house, the findings demonstrated that blasting activities have no impact on the Mahlangu home or its immediate surroundings. The blasting impact radius is two kilometres or less.'