From gold town to ghost town
Residents left in the lurch when mine was closed
Blyvooruitzicht, a once prosperous mine town, has become a haven for criminals. Residents fear for their lives following the closure of the town's gold mine in 2013. On Friday Lawyers for Human Rights released a report on Blyvooruitzicht focusing on the "human toll of state and corporate abdication of responsibility in South Africa". According to Pule Molefe, a member of the Blyvooruitzicht Residents Committee, the hazards in the town include toxic water, thick mine dust, scrap-metal vandals and gangs of illegal miners. Blyvooruitzicht mine shut down in 2013 after running into financial trouble. At the time it was a subsidiary of DRD Gold but was acquired by Randlords Capital in December 2014. Since the mine was closed no one has come to its assistance, said Molefe. He hoped that the release of the report would pave the way for some help for Blyvooruitzicht's residents. "We hope that after this stage, something will be done, that our local municipality and all the other stakeholders...
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.