Burgess COMMENTARY
There is a huge weakness in the system that exists for corporate behavior. Financial accounting takes into account what has happened in the past (balance sheet) and informs about what has been happening in the current period (P&L) but ignores issues that will come up in the future. When a mine closes there are usually issues that will last a long time into the future ... but they are not provided for in the current accounts and the law allows for these to be avoided without consequences. This is archaic and wrong. The corporate establishment may be comfortable with this status quo ... but society should stand for something better. Peter Burgess TrueValueMetrics.org
Peter Burgess

Blyvoor community’s water supply to be restored – Ramatlhodi © REUSE THIS JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) –

The Merafong municipality was ordered to restore water supply to the Blyvooruitzicht mining community, following an emergency meeting called by Mineral Resources Minister Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi to deal with the humanitarian challenges facing the community. Water supply, which was disconnected in May, would be reconnected for a period of one month. The mine’s liquidators had agreed to pay the municipality R600 000 to provide water to the community and to repair leakages. Meanwhile, stakeholders at the meeting also agreed that community mapping and social profiling of households in the area should be carried out by the Department of Mineral Resources to determine the level of assistance and intervention required by the communities affected by the liquidation of the gold mine, near Carletonville. “Interventions, including distress packages, will be provided in the short term, as the team explores medium- to long-term measures including environmental, economic and infrastructural concerns,” special adviser to the Minister Advocate Mahlodi Muofhe said. Emanating from the meeting, a report on the status of the liquidation process would also be sought from the liquidators. “It is crucial that we learn from this to prevent a similar situation from occurring when a mine is liquidated,” Muofhe said. Stakeholders who attended the meeting included representatives from the departments of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation and Social Development, as well as representatives from the Merafong City municipality and Masters of the High Court. A progress meeting would be held in two weeks.

EDITED BY: CHANEL DE BRUYN CREAMER MEDIA SENIOR DEPUTY EDITOR ONLINE