The mining corporation Coal of Africa Ltd (CoAL) continues to push forward with plans to open a coking coal mine in the Venda region of South Africa, here we share a short video from a recent meeting between the the company and the community. The meeting was termed a ‘Water Open Day’ and was part of Coal of Africa Ltd’s public participation programme regarding the proposed Makhado Coal Mine. The mining company is currently awaiting approval of a Water Licence application for the mine: a mine that will demand a huge amount of water from an already drought prone region. This short video shows precisely why the community are so opposed to it, and why they need your support…
Please watch the video. Share it far and wide, and find out how to take more action below.
Coal mining is one of the most water intensive industrial processes, depleting, polluting and contaminating local water systems. There are a myriad of reasons why this destructive mining project should not be allowed to proceed. Click on the links below to find out more about the Venda community and their struggle to protect their land from the proposed mine:
Venda, South Africa – Venda Communities say No! to CoAL Mining
Coal mining plans jeopardise the cultural and ecological future of Venda
ACT NOW!
You can help us to support the people of Venda, whose voices of objection are not being heard.
PLEASE TAKE 2 MINUTES TO SEND AN EMAIL
Personalised emails of this kind are more effective but if you would prefer – you can copy and paste the template below into an email and send to the key decision makers in this application, adding your name, your region and country at the bottom.
Please cc the email to us here at The Gaia Foundation and we will add your name to a formal letter we will send to the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs.
Subject Header: Makhado Mine, Water Licence Application
Email Addresses: raganyag@dwa.gov.za, kobel@dwaf.gov.za, aaron.kharivhe@dmr.gov.za, mochotlhid@dwa.gov.za, skosanam@dwa.gov.za
Cc: info@gaianet.org
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing to you to request that you decline the application for a Water Licence by Coal of Africa Ltd (CoAL) for the Makhado Coal Colliery Project in Makhado, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
I urge you to consider declining this application due to the impact the project will have in the surrounding area on ecosystems, communities and farms. By CoAL’s own admission this water intensive mining operation will exhaust local ground water by 2014. They are proposing a two-phase water use licence, phase one will exhaust the ground water, and they have yet to provide adequate evidence of where they will source bulk water for phase two. As you are aware, the Limpopo Province is already a severely water stressed area. Local communities are already struggling with access to water. If this project proceeds, they will face severe ecological, social and economic damage.
Thank you for considering this objection,
[Signed]
[Region, Country]
Who are we contacting?
Below are the details of the South African government staff who we are asking you to email in objection to the mine…
Ms Bomo Edna Molewa Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Ms Gail Raganya (Personal Assistant) raganyag@dwa.gov.za Ms L Kobe Institutional Establishment Director Department of Water Affairs Limpopo Province kobel@dwaf.gov.za Mr. Aaron Kharivhe The Regional Manager of Mineral Resources Limpopo Province aaron.kharivhe@dmr.gov.za Mrs Deborah Mochotlhi Chief Director: Water Use Department of Water Affairs mochotlhid@dwa.gov.za Mr Sipho Skosana Director: Water Allocation Water use Department of Water Affairs skosanam@dwa.gov.za