Coal Mining Threatens the Community of Vosman

Vosman in Emalahleni is an informal settlement area with Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses built for the community of Vosman. Most of the houses were constructed with no solid foundation. The area is close to multiple coal mining operations which are open cast and the more the blasting in the mines takes place, the more the slate from the ground shows up and cracks.

People who are 100m away from the mines are living in fear for their lives as their houses are cracking from bottom to the ceiling while the interior has also not been spared. Some of the windows are cracking and broken.  Their safety is now under threat as a result of the negative consequences of mining. The community is also not being consulted when an operation is taking place. All they want is the mines to fix the cracked houses as others have just constructed new houses and these are barely three years but are already showing signs of cracks.