By Tholakele Thabane
Blyvooruitzicht was once a prosperous gold mining community situated about 5km south of Carletonville, Gauteng. The same place where the richest gold-bearing reef was ever discovered and operated as one of the world’s largest and most profitable mine for over seven decades, is now considered one of the most dangerous, unhealthy and toxic places in Gauteng.
The collapse of the town came after Blyvooruitzicht Gold Mine (BGM) got liquidated in 2013. Residents were left to fend for themselves, facing inhumane living conditions, neglect and uncontrollable violence.
The mine housed its employees in its mine-houses and hostels, which is where the community remains today awaiting compensations. With the lifespan of the mine estimated to 2027, the community was in hopes that they would be accounted for till then. Only for the community to be met with inhuman living conditions 10 years earlier.
The liquidator put in place told the community to vacate the houses as they had been sold to Longlife Resources, who allegedly paid 3 million rands to take over from BGM. The employees refused to vacate as they had not yet been paid.
“We are still in the houses because the liquidator says there is no money to pay us and no money to develop the community and the municipality has no funds yet to proclaim us,” said 44-year-old Mathapelo Diale, MACUA’s Secretary at New Village in Blyvooruitzicht.
Living beyond the liquidation
Since the liquidation, the community has faced different issues, such as overpopulation in the area where basic services are unavailable. Infrastructure has been neglected and vandalised.
Diale said that water in the area has been the
biggest problem since Rand Water cut water
supplies when the mine closed. In a case filed by the Lawyers for Human Rights against Rand Water, the applicant got victory for the community at the Constitutional Court in 2018, where Rand Water was prevented from disconnecting piped water supply to the community.
But it was all in vain, according to Gcina Nxano, the artisanal miners allegedly blocked the water from reaching the community and have it all to themselves. “We have one JoJo tank per street filled by the councilor once a week. We use it sparingly even though we don’t know if it is safe to drink,” said Nxano. The community also had to ask Eskom to intervene after their power was cut, they are currently using prepaid electricity under their economic status.
The community lives in fear for their lives. They claim that killings between community members and artisanal miners have ensued due to the battle of the limited and finite resources, water, electricity and shortage of houses. Additionally, burglary cases and kidnappings have become a norm, they say. The nearest police officers in Carletonville are apparently afraid of coming to the area by the residents.
The community is in limbo. The government told them it cannot intervene as they are not part of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP). They were also told that their councilor is effectively nothing more than decorative and was apparently elected for the mere fact that it is a requirement by law, but there is nothing the councilor can assist with.
While the community remain in a state of disarray, the Youth Affected by Mining United
(YAMUA) has taken it upon themselves to provide cleaning services from time to time as
the community does not have a functional disposal collection service.
Blyvooruitzicht’s tragic decline serves as a stark reminder of the devastating social and environmental consequences caused by mining corporations. Urgent action is needed to address the community's basic needs and ensure justice for those abandoned.