A power cut is threatening to trigger flooding within days. The joint provisional liquidators warn that a disconnection could see water begin entering the 158-year-old workings within 48 hours, potentially creating consequences that could last for years and place underground infrastructure at serious risk.

The mine’s future now depends not only on efforts to rescue Ekapa Minerals and protect hundreds of jobs, but also on maintaining the electricity needed to keep its underground workings dry. The liquidators say uninterrupted pumping is crucial to preserving the mine and preventing potentially severe environmental consequences.

The liquidators warned that Eskom had scheduled a power cut over outstanding electricity payments. The disconnection was scheduled for Tuesday, 4 August, but has not yet been implemented, giving stakeholders additional time to find a solution before the mine’s critical pumping systems are affected.

“We are sitting with a lot of equipment underground, and infrastructure and copper that’s worth a minimum value of R30m to R40m,” said Tshwane Trust Co junior insolvency practitioner Ethan Winter. He said protecting these assets was one of the immediate concerns should the electricity supply be disconnected.

“One part of it is asset preservation, which will become a very big problem, and secondly there is the environmental impact it would have. If electricity is disconnected, 114 boreholes and critical shaft pumps will stop operating. The flooded underground workings would put infrastructure and equipment beyond recovery.”

Oil, diesel, copper and plastics remaining underground could be inundated, creating pathways for contaminants to enter groundwater used by surrounding agricultural operations. The joint provisional liquidators warned that contamination could extend the consequences of flooding well beyond the mine itself.

The mine’s plant and machinery are worth about R200m, and flooding could submerge these assets. The liquidators also warned that remaining infrastructure could become more vulnerable to theft and illegal mining if operations are disrupted and access to sections of the mine becomes more difficult to control.

At a stakeholder meeting attended by the department of water and sanitation, concerns were raised that rising groundwater could interact with additional ore bodies and geological formations, potentially increasing salinity. Officials are also concerned that contamination could affect groundwater resources used beyond the immediate mining area.

A department official cautioned that groundwater pollution could take months or even years to become evident. Remediation is generally difficult and costly once contamination pathways have been established, meaning the environmental consequences of flooding could continue long after any immediate electricity-supply dispute has been resolved.

Numsa previously welcomed the business rescue process, saying it could initially protect about 500 jobs and create an opportunity for operations to resume. The proposed rescue also depends on R25m in post-commencement finance, while maintaining the mine’s infrastructure remains crucial to any possible restart.

The mine has faced financial pressure since a deadly mud rush at the Joint Shaft serving the Du Toitspan mines in February. Five mineworkers were trapped 890m underground after wet mud and water blocked the tunnel, severely disrupting operations and adding to the company’s existing financial difficulties.

The disaster contributed to the company’s provisional liquidation and the loss of more than 1,000 jobs. Numsa regional legal officer Tshepiso Mochabela said the union’s immediate priority is to return as many employees as possible to work, making the survival of the mine central to its efforts.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cvs

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