OPINION | Mine blasting is a constitutional rights issue - The noise, dust and shockwaves from blasts harm people’s health and infrastructure
Mine blasting, which affects hundreds of fenceline communities in South Africa on a regular basis, is damaging to infrastructure, disruptive to everyday life, causes deafening noise and releases toxic dust linked to long-term health conditions.
Shockwaves can have severe physical and psychological effects on people living close to mines. As with many inequalities, the blasts disproportionately affect women, youth, older people and those with disabilities. Blasting dust can contain toxic fumes such as carbon monoxide as a result of the explosives used, as well as fine particles from the material being fragmented. Court cases document the increased number of children who live near mines with respiratory disorders such as asthma.
The combination of the psychological and physical effects of mine blasting on people makes it clear why this is a major concern and one calling out for better regulation and enforcement. What few legal protections are offered to people living near mines are often contravened or not enforced. The Act imposes a general duty on mines to ensure that people who are not employees, but who may be directly affected by the activities at the mine, are not exposed to any hazards to their health and safety “as far as reasonably practicable”. Mines are also required to have a policy concerning the protection of such people. There is therefore a legal duty for mines to ensure that people living nearby are not exposed to hazards that affect their health and safety.
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