The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (DWEA) has laid criminal charges against the owners of a fertiliser company after the Selati River, a tributary of the Olifants River, near the Kruger National Park was polluted.

Thousands of fish were killed after acidic water from Bosveld Poshphate’s tailings dam spilled into the river at the end of last year. The tailings dam overflowed following heavy rain, contaminating a 15km stretch of the river. The water was highly acidic with a pH level of 1.5.

A secondary leak of contaminated water – a crack in the company’s on site concrete storm water canal, caused by water pressure – has been completely stopped.

Camps reliant on water from the Olifants River had to switch to back-up borehole water. Although this did not affect water quality, water restrictions had to be put in place at the height of the Park’s tourist season.

Water was discharged from the Blyde River Dam in an attempt to dilute the pollution. Although animals were not affected, major environmental damage has been predicted.

A bigger issue

Acid mine drainage has been a problem for the Olifants River in the past. The Olifants River Water Resource Development Project, an attempt to meet water supply requirements in the region, is currently regarded as one of South Africa’s most important mega infrastructure water projects.