DURBAN - Specialists have cautioned that the impact on wildlife could take time to manifest after polluted mine wastewater spilt into river systems, affecting rural communities and the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park as well as posing a risk to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo said no animal deaths within the park have been recorded to date, however, specialists had cautioned that the impact on wildlife could take time to manifest.
He said water samples taken from the Black uMfolozi River in the park revealed that sulphates, customarily attributed to mine contamination, were within acceptable limits.
“The high concentration of metals in the water is, however, of concern.”
“Aquatic ecosystem parameters are much more sensitive to water quality changes than humans. Potential impacts on aquatic biota remain unknown at this point. Toxicity testing of sediment samples is presently under way,” Mntambo said.
He said park visitors were advised to bring their own water or make use of bottled water available at the camps even though the water purification system at rest camps was able to reduce the metal concentrations to within SA National Standard 241 limits.
Mntambo said two consulting firms with different focus areas, CopperLeaf Consulting and GroundTruth, were providing Ezemvelo with specialist advice and guidance.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) had sent a team of environmental management Inspectors to inspect the affected areas on January 14, and a more comprehensive assessment followed from January 19 to 21.
“A wetland specialist from the department is currently providing ‘on the ground’ support to all the authorities who are involved in dealing with this particular case and the department has undertaken its own sampling of water and sediment during the week of January 24 to 28, in relation to which the analysis will not only be limited to coal fines, but a range of heavy metals, sulphide metalloids, organic contaminants, which are likely to include anthropogenic chemicals used in process water, potentially occurring within the slurry,” said DFFE spokesperson Albi Modise.
He said that although the dilution effect after good rains might have negated water contamination, it was expected that contaminants might be deposited in sediment throughout the system (source to sea). The results would be compared with those that were taken previously in order to determine the extent of the remediation that may be required, and/or if any was needed.
Modise said the pollution incident was rectified as early as December 26 through compliance orders that were issued by the Department of Minerals and Energy, and subsequently, slurry did not enter the environment.
“The emergence of the pollution was, however, observed on January 5 within the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve after good rain in the area flushed contamination from the Mvalo tributary (which drains the mining area) into the Black Umfolozi. The visual contamination in the river has dissipated since then, and this is most likely due to the strong flow of both the Black and White Umfolozi rivers,” Modise said.
He said the DFFE had helped the authorities to develop a response plan that focused on activating the Zululand and uMkhanyakude municipalities and iSimangaliso to undertake an assessment of all the healthcare facilities in the affected zones, in particular those situated in close proximity to the Mvalo river.
“These reports are due to the authorities this week. Based on evidence available at this time from officials who undertook this assessment, it does not appear that this incident had a significant effect on the residents in this particular area.”
iSimangaliso Wetland Park spokesperson Bheki Manzini said they would be guided by the report.
Daily News