[Image: Living impopo / Facebook]
Ten new open-cast coal mines are in development in the untouched Greater Soutpansberg Coalfield located in the far northern Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, which will supply a mega industrial complex being developed on the edge of the coal pits.
The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ), a 60km2 China-South Africa state-backed steel manufacturing industrial zone – the largest such industrial development in South Africa’s history – plans to strip-mine the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve for coal.
MC Mining, owned by Chinese coal producer Kinetic Development, has allegedly 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.
According to Dear South Africa, MC Mining’s commencement of mining activities is thus unlawful and constitutes egregious and ongoing breaches of Section 24F of NEMA.
According to environmental activist, Rob Hutchinson, 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 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 likely also cannibalise South Africa’s ailing steel industry and the public purse, given the eye-watering cost of developing the zone’s supporting infrastructure.
If you think this is rediculous, have your say on the Dear South Africa page here. Comments close on 7 April 2025.
[Source: Dear South Africa]
