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AfriForum members and the Elandshoek/Nooitgedacht Community today appealed against the granting of an amendment to Delfsand (Pty) Ltd’s mining right.

According to Reline Badenhorst, the Environmental Chairperson of AfriForum’s Rayton/Cullinan branch, the community is perturbed by the reckless manner in which Delfsand (Pty) Ltd has been conducting its mining activities since the take-over by Infrasors in 2007. “In view of several issues, we are totally opposed to the amendment of the existing mining right”, Badenhorst said.

“Delfsand (Pty) Ltd does not have a Water Use License, and the Department of Water Affairs has laid criminal charges against the company for being in contravention of the National Water Act No 36 of 1998”, Badenhorst said.

According to the community, the mine has engaged in various illegal activities over the years, which include illegal mining in a wetland and a perennial river, the abstraction of water from a natural fountain without a licence, and test blasting on a code 2 ridge with no geohydrology survey having been conducted prior to the blast.

“In 2011, Delfsand (Pty) Ltd was instructed by the Department of Water Affairs and the Department of Mineral Resources to start rehabilitating the affected wetland. However,, to date, no rehabilitation has been done”, Badenhorst said.

Earlier this year, Julius Kleynhans, AfriForum’s Head of Environmental Affairs said that AfriForum was not opposed to mining but that the organisation would strongly oppose any illegal activities that are harmful to the environment, and would take steps against anyone who is guilty of such misconduct.