This article was written by Dear South Africa, a non-profit organisation.
Ten new open-cast coal mines to be developed in the untouched Greater Soutpansberg Coalfield located in the far northern Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, will supply a mega industrial complex being developed on the edge of the coal-pits.
The ‘Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone’, a 60 Km2 China-South Africa state-backed steel manufacturing industrial zone – the largest such industrial development in South Africa’s history – will drive the strip-mining of the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve for coal.
MC Mining, owned by Chinese coal producer Kinetic Development, has illegally broken ground on what it calls its ‘shovel-ready’ flagship Makhado Colliery – despite the fact that the decision on an appeal against its environmental authorisation is still pending. MC Mining’s commencement of mining activities is thus unlawful and constitutes egregious and ongoing breaches of Section 24F of NEMA on a daily basis.
The scheme to turn the wild heart of Limpopo into another Sacrifice Zone for coal and steel is extremely high-risk with grossly skewed benefits in favour of foreign and fossil fuel industry interests. The project carries an immense cost to the sensitive environment and scarce water resources, poor rural communities, local farming, tourism and the emerging potential of the biodiversity economy. The MMSEZ will cannibalise South Africa’s ailing steel industry which and the public purse, given the eye-watering cost of developing the zone’s supporting infrastructure.
⭕️ Yes or NO — Do you support the strip-mining of the Vhembe Nature Reserve for coal?
HAVE YOUR SAY AT THIS LINK NOW 👉 https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/livinglimpopo/