Limpopo floods halt work at coal mine

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Floods in Limpopo have forced a coal mine to halt its operations, Coal of Africa Limited (CoAL) said on Tuesday.

Chairman David Brown said CoAL hoped to resume operations within a week.

“Coal of Africa Limited advises that, following heavy rains in the Limpopo province, operations at its Vele Colliery have been forced to stop due to flooding,” he said in a statement.

The mine site had recorded 500mm rainfall in the past five days, compared to 450mm normal rainfall a year.

“CoAL expects normal operations to resume in approximately seven days, subject to receding rainfall.”

“Vele currently has a 5500 tons stockpile of thermal coal product and produces 7000 saleable tons per week.”

The mine's lodge and management facility, Dongola Ranch, near Vele Colliery, had become a crisis communications hub and a safe haven for people stranded near the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site and surrounding farms.

“Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, the South African Police Services and the Musina Local Municipality have set up a base at Dongola where an expected number of more than 150 flood victims, some of which have been stranded on rooftops in the greater Mapungubwe area and rescued by military helicopter, are expected to seek shelter,” said Brown.

At least six people had died following heavy rains in the province over the past few days, the provincial co-operative governance department said on Monday. - Sapa