Farmers in shock over plan to reopen mines in winelands

A government plan which could destroy part of the Cape Winelands by re-opening defunct mines has been met with widespread dismay.

A state-owned mining company, the African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation (AEMFC), has applied for rights to prospect for tin, zinc, lead, lithium, copper, manganese and silver on several landmark farms in the municipalities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch. The company wishes to re-open mines closed decades ago - and landowners and residents in the area are concerned that this could ruin the region.

The plan is explained in a "background information document" which the state mining agency commissioned consultants GCS to produce.

GCS has also been commissioned to produce an environmental management plan, and interested parties have until March 9 to comment.

Among the farms are some of South Africa's best-known wine estates, some of which produce five-star wines which are exported internationally. The historic De Grendel estate, on the slopes of the Tygerberg hills, owned by the Graaff family is one. Also threatened are Zevenwacht and Saxenberg outside Kuils River and numerous other estates in the Bottelary and Stellenbosch wine-farming districts.

Yesterday news of the plan was met with disbelief.

Gary Jordan, of Jordan wine estate, said the mining plans were bizarre, as the government itself had actively encouraged and helped wine farmers, over many years, to restore and protect the natural environment on their farms.

An urgent meeting is planned for Saturday morning at Zevenwacht estate to which the public has been invited, where farmers, land-owners and residents of Kuils River will meet to discuss the threat.

Already, the Graaff family has sent a legal letter to the consultants expressing vociferous objection to the plan.

"When you look at everything that's been spent setting up the Biodiversity in Wine Institute, when you look at everything that's gone into setting up conservancies to protect nature and the natural heritage of this area, this makes a mockery of everything we've tried to achieve," Jordan said.

He said it was particularly worrying that the state company appeared to be exempt from following normal legal procedures. "It's not morally right and it's not good for the industry, or for South Africa."

The AEMFC is owned by the Central Energy Fund and is mandated to "acquire and hold exploration and mineral rights" for the government.

Cape Argus

Posted at 03:09PM Feb 23, 2010 by Editor in Agricultural  |  Comments[3]