An application for prospecting rights on some farms in the Doornkom area where landowners are hot under the collar has been launched.
The company Roelan Trading is applying for the right to prospect for platinum and other minerals. The area affected by this, is about 30 km north of Modimolle and 25 km west of Mookgophong and covers, according to the application, just over 3,500 hectares. The farms affected are parts of Zuikerboschfontein, Driefontein, Doornkom, Kromkloof, Magalakynsoog and Geelhout Valley.
Barend, the chairperson of the Nylstroom Water Action Group, has called a meeting for residents on Thursday, 23 June.
He expressed concern that the phone numbers listed in the report do not work. “We have experience with previous applications who buy prospecting rights for prospectors of Shelf companies. The address given is for their offices only with a street number that you can not evidently not get hold of. Once they obtain prospecting rights, it is peddled to large mining companies, “he said.
Some of the concerns raised by residents are that prospecting permits given to the companies allow them to widen the roads for up to four meters by digging and drilling holes on their farms. The residents want to know who will take responsibility for team fences around the affected area as there is the concern that their animals will wonder into the exploration space. The water usage is another concern as there is so little available.
“The Waterberg’s name is misleading – one of our biggest problems is the lack of water,” said Pienaar. “Mining and water, however, go hand in hand.” Most of the farms in the mountainous region are affected by the application. Venison and beef farms, farms that focus on tourism and a few who grow crops are all affected.
Pienaar said “that the problem is that the prospecting is sold as one of the 25 farms if sufficient minerals are found. This changes the value of the farm that will decline substantially. That is what the mining companies are hoping for.”
Only a few of the people who were present at the meeting knew of the application after being notified by the company.
John Maree, an ecologist, said that no mining activities may take place (even prospecting) before an impact study was conducted to determine the impact on the wetlands or red data species. He said that this could take up to two years and comes with a hefty price of between R50 000 and R80 000. It may serve as a deterrent to the companies already involved.
Pienaar said that during the past three years there had been applications in the Swaershoekberge and the Alma area. There are applications for mining licenses in Nylsvley environment, and a license has been permitted for an open pit mine near Bela-Bela.
After the meeting, a list of people who objected to the prospecting was prepared, and who must register as an interested and affected party. All parties will be informed of further developments.
For more information contact Pienaar at tel. 074 939 1030.
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