Following the sudden collapse of a tailings dam in Jagersfontein, the Minerals Council South Africa has commenced humanitarian intervention for the Free State town’s residents by providing deliveries of food, clothing and other essentials. Longer-term relief measures are also underway.
The Minerals Council launched the Jagersfontein Relief Fund for its members to collectively contribute R50 million towards immediate and longer-term assistance to residents affected by the events of 11 September when a tailings dam belonging to a non-Minerals Council member collapsed, inundating the Jagersfontein community, causing the loss of one life, injuries to 100 more people, and destroying and damaging houses and infrastructure.
Using the contributions from members, the Minerals Council quickly partnered with recognised aid organisations, including Gift of The Givers, Red Cross and Soul Food to provide meaningful assistance to displaced and affected people by providing food, clothing, cooking utensils and sanitary packs in the short term. The feeding programme will run at least to the end of January 2023. Longer term interventions include the provision of potable water from bore holes.
Gift of the Givers will drill Minerals Council-sponsored boreholes at three schools to provide long-term, sustainable sources of clean water to the community after the tailings dam collapse polluted and disrupted water services to the Jagersfontein community. The Red Cross is providing clothing, underwear, sanitary packs, food, water and cooking utensils to the affected community.
Soul Food is distributing 15 000 of its vitamin-rich Powa Packs to the community, providing 300 000 meals from September to the end of January. Each pack contains 1kg of highly nutritious porridge, low in sugar and carbohydrates but high in vitamins – providing 20 meals per pack. It requires no cooking and is just mixed with water or milk, hot or cold.