By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A mine dam wall collapse in Free State province swept away houses and cars on Sunday, the provincial government said, killing three people and injuring another 40.
The disaster occurred in the mining town of Jagersfontein this morning forcing officials to evacuate scores of residents to nearby farms.
Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela, is expected in the mining town later on Sunday.
Among the injured was a pregnant woman, and there were four people who sustained fractured limbs.
Five others were transported to the Albert Nzula Hospital in Trompsburg.
The government said in a statement that search and rescue efforts are continuing at the dormant diamond mine, which was once owned by De Beers, a unit of Anglo American.
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Sunday afternoon said the flow of water, after the tailings dam of an abandoned mine in Jagersfontein collapsed, has stopped and the immediate threat is being stabilised.
“The untold damage in and around the community of Charlesville in Jagersfontein are extensive and has negatively impacted the community,” she said in a statement.
The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) was coordinating with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre and other stakeholders to ensure the assistance needed was provided, where required, Dlamini-Zuma said.
“The NDMC has deployed staff members to the affected area to assess the damage and impact, and to provide direct operational support.”
Eskom said in a separate statement that it had lost bulk supply to Centlec, the electricity distributor responsible for Jagersfontein, while four Eskom customers on the Fauresmith-Spitskop feeder, three customers on the Pompie-Rietkuil feeder and the Jagersfontein Mine were without power.
“Eskom’s Rietkuil Substation was also engulfed by the mud, resulting in a total loss of bulk supply to Centlec. Due to the current situation in the Jagersfontein area and the inaccessibility of our substation, it is impossible to estimate when supply will be restored or to determine the extent of the damage,” Eskom said in a statement.
“Since Eskom’s telecommunication system is also affected by the flood, the impact on surrounding networks is still unclear.”
It urged residents to treat all electrical lines, sockets and appliances as live and dangerous.
Social development district offices were evacuating people in the affected areas to nearby farms, while humanitarian organisations were assessing how many people were affected.
Gift of the Givers’ Imtiaz Sooliman said the Charlesville area appeared to be most affected by the sludge.
“Houses, personal belongings and many sheep have been washed away, three bodies have been discovered and community members are missing. The cellphone towers have been damaged, affecting communication, there is no electricity and not a drop of drinkable water. Some of the roads have been cut off,” Sooliman said.
The humanitarian organisation’s teams were packing supplies in Bethlehem, Graaff-Reinet, Gqeberha and Cape Town. The first delivery was expected in Jagersfontein later on Sunday.