A public consultation notification about manganese and iron ore mining prospects in the Cederberg (in the Twee River and Leeu River confluence area to be specific) is doing its rounds at the moment. A company called ‘Orren Capital (PTY) Ltd’ is planning to prospect for these mining activities in an area with scarce indigenous species, including the critically endangered Twee River redfin (check the IUCN Red List status HERE); what’s more is that the property (Pompies Hoek) on which they aim to prospect for mining falls within the Groot Winterhoek Strategic Water Source Area.
The Water Research Commission (WRC) has declared such Strategic Water Source Areas as protected areas due to the disproportionately high amount of our country’s water being present in these regions, in relation to their size. Simply put, this is to secure water (an important life source) for South African citizens (and generations to come). As if the on-going Vaal River mine drainage pollution (which has resulted in many mass fish-kills to date) and the recent Wilge River fish kill due to a toxic coal mine drainage ‘leak’ have not been enough, short-sighted businessmen are still prospecting for mining activities in sensitive areas adjacent to highly valued, healthy aquatic ecosystems.
This particular ecosystem, the Twee and Leeu River confluence area, is the breeding ground of my favourite fly fishing target, the Clanwilliam yellowfish. Besides the Clanwilliam yellowfish, this is part of the catchment area of the Groot and Doring Rivers that currently safeguards the only documented population of the Clanwilliam sandfish. My day got turned upside-down when I first heard about this and it just continues to blow my mind how humans don’t seem to learn from human error and past mistakes.
I beg any- and everyone (that values native fish and knows what it feels like to have their favourite fishing water being ‘attacked’ by mining businesses) to register as Interested and Affected Parties (IAP) to voice our concern and try to stop this mining project from happening; please send an email ASAP to the following email addresses to request the Consultative Basic Assessment Report and Environmental management programme and register as an IAP and let these people know that the fly fishing community is certainly not in favour of mining in such sensitive areas:
info@tprmining-resources.co.za
and
We as the West Coast Guriqua Council which is representing the SAN Bloodline family members of the indigenous families of the Guriqua SAN HERITAGE and Secret Side’s.We ask the question When did we as the San gives any developers the the Government included,any Consent to development on our INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
WHY?Government deliberately Discriminate against our Living Customary Living Law’s and the Environmental Law’s.
hey there leonard,
thanks for this
what’s the latest status on this mining project please?
be well, rowan
Hi Rowan, I believe that the mining application was not approved in the end and that the mining project never went ahead.