ActionSA demands Jagersfontein development to halt operations until safety is assured

11 October 2022 

Through its legal representatives, Free State Action SA has written to President Ramaphosa and the Free State CoGTA MEC, Mr Ngxangisa, requesting them to instruct the mine to cease operations until employees’ safety is guaranteed.

The same correspondence has been forwarded to Jagersfontein Development demanding that the mine ceases its operations until the independent report confirms that it is safe to continue with the operations.

Employees are forced to risk their lives to continue with the operations without adhering to safety requirements. This continues to happen despite the safety report having not been completed yet.

This suggests that the mine is more concerned with making profits at the expense of employee’s lives.

ActionSA has given Jagersfontein Development, Free State CoGTA and the President 14 days to respond.

The matter has also been reported to the South African Human Rights Commission requesting them to investigate gross human rights violations by the mining company, Kopanong Municipality and Free State CoGTA.

Today marks the second month since the tragic incident of the mine dam burst. To this day nothing tangible has been done for the Jagersfontein community.

ActionSA will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Jagersfontein residents are treated with dignity and that they will not be victimized again by callous corporations and entities. It is critical that the responsible entities are held accountable for this tragedy that left one person dead and 103 people displaced.

Issued by Patricia Kopane, Free State Provincial Chairperson, ActionSA, 11 October 2022