Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe says technical assessments will be undertaken in Ogies, Mpumalanga, to determine whether cracks in the Phola community’s houses have been as a result of three nearby mines’ activities.
This follows after the Minister consulted the Phola community, near Ogies, earlier this week.
Local residents were concerned about damage to their houses as a result of blasting by mines around the community, as well as about pollution.
Two mines in the area have not started blasting or operating, stated the Department of Mineral Resources on Thursday, alluding that the third mine’s blasting activities could have possibly caused damage, but that this was yet to be confirmed.
The technical assessments will determine what could have caused the damage, while the department is strengthening measures to ensure mines minimise dust created by their activities.