Recent Updates and Activities of the FSE

A band aid won’t do

Monday, 12 April 2010 09:55 Charlotte Mathews of FM

Water & environmental affairs minister Buyelwa Sonjica promised last week that a decision would be taken “shortly” to resolve the problem of rising levels of polluted mine water around the Witwatersrand basin.

But Sonjica’s undertaking, and her allocation of R6,9m for emergency measures to stop acid mine drainage in the western basin, is a “band aid approach”, say environmentalists and activists who have been stressing the urgency of the problem for many years.

Acid Crisis Keep Flowing

Monday, 05 April 2010 02:09 Sheree Bega

ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY DEPARTMENT’S PLAN TO STOP TOXIC POLLUTION IS LIKE ‘CONFETTI AT A WEDDING'

Sizwe Mkhize looks visibly irritated as a group of journalists ask him about South Africa’s water crisis. “I think that’s just hearsay”, he responds, tartly. “We’re a dry country but we’re not in a crisis whatsoever. You have water coming out of the taps in your house, don’t you?

All the warnings, now the response

Sunday, 07 March 2010 15:19 administrator

Mariette Liefferink has been warning about the dangerous situation on the West Rand, the Central Basin and Wstern Basin for so long that she says "I was begining to feel like the boy who cried wolf." Her warnings about imminent decanting of acid mine drainage have been the constant refrain. And the disaster she forewarned about, has happended.

Sonjica confirms AMD - comments pour in

Sunday, 21 March 2010 04:32 administrator

Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica confirmed that short-term emergency steps have been introduced to reduce and treat uncontrolled Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) from the West Rand.

What will become of Northern Farm?

Monday, 01 March 2010 07:59 administrator

The future of Northern Farm, a popular weekend recreation area where a system of dams and irrigation assist in filtering water from the water treatment plant, hangs in the balance.