SOUTH AFRICA

The latest
furore in South Africa is
over the Cloudy Creek or
Rietspruit wetland on the
south bank of the Vaal river.
The Sasol Chemical Industries wants to strip mine the
area for coal as feedstock for
the plant, which requires
seven million tonnes of coal
per annum to turn into plastics, fertiliser, paint solvents,
waxes, explosives and a variety of chemicals.

The main contention of
the anti-mining lobby is that
Sasol would be mining in a
very large wetland - 1,800 ha- which is an underground river delta that purifies and slowly pushes two million cu m of water per
year into the Vaal barrage,
according to Rand Water, a
conservationist group that is
planning to retain the area
as an animal rehabilitation centre.

The Rietspruit itself,
claims Save the Vaal Environment (SAVE), is the only
source of clean water flowing
into the Vaal barrage, which
the Sasol wants to dam and
divert. SAVE pointed out that
the area to be mined is of
great ecological importance
as it also is home to 242
species of birds and 21 species of mammals. It claimed
that the recreational value of
the Vaal barrage is also likely
to be affected due to mining.

SAVE assessed that digging into the wetland will
negatively alter the hydrology and water regimes, as
well as the soil profiles. It
alleged that Sasol is looking
only at short-term profits at
cost of the environment.
Besides, mining is not the
best land-use option in that
area, it said. According to the
group, Sasol is also overlooking the constitutional right
to "an environment which is
not detrimental to our health
and well-being". In any
case. strip mining in the
would be difficult
simply because there is a
likelihood of water standing
in the cuts.