More than 400 abandoned coal mines across South Africa threaten to pollute land and rivers by leaching acidic water. The mines also pose a safety risk due to lack of secured access.
Improper assessments of future clean-up costs by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, combined with weak enforcement, has left residents facing the consequences, reports Bloomberg.
Overall, the mining industry in South Africa has left more than 6 000 mines abandoned in its wake. Prior to 2002, there was no legislation requiring companies to clean up mines, however, even since the legal requirement has been in place, it has not been properly enforced.
