Mpumalanga wetlands under threat from mining
Atha Africa Ventures has approval to mine in a protected environment, write Ellen Davies and Angus Burns
There is no question that mining does and will continue to play an important role in SA’s economy. There is also no question that society does and will continue to rely on the resources being extracted by mining activities. But there is one resource that must trump minerals because of its critical importance to our very existence — water. Research has shown that 50% of the volume of water in SA’s river systems comes from run-off from land covering only 8% of the country’s total surface area. Protecting these strategic pockets of land is therefore imperative in securing the country’s water supply. This is precisely why there is a Protected Areas Act that prohibits or restricts mining in certain places. It recognises that there are few key areas that play such an important role in the provision of the country’s ecological services that they require safeguarding at all costs. The preamble to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act also recognises that the development of min...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.