Johannesburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Monday (12 September 2022), visit the Jagersfontein area in the Free State, where a mudslide has claimed a life, and destroyed homes and other property.
On Sunday morning a tailings dam burst open near an abandoned local mine in Jagersfontein, in the Xhariep District Municipality, resulting in flooding.
Initial reports said in Charlesville three bodies had been recovered, houses, cars and other property ruined by the muddy water.
Free State authorities have since corrected their earlier report, saying in fact only one body had been found.
Authorities said as many as 70 people had been hospitalised.
Some people have been relocated to safer areas. Telcommunications, electricity and water supplies have been affected
“The President’s thoughts and prayers are with the families of three people who lost their lives in the incident which allegedly involved a pipe burst from a mine at Jagersfontein around dawn today, Sunday, (11 September 2022,” said the Presidency on Sunday, before the death toll was revised downwards to only one deceased.
“Four persons have been reported missing while 23 patients have been treated for hypothermia and four for broken legs.
“The President wishes injured survivors a speedy recovery and a positive outcome in the search for missing residents of the Charlesville neighbourhood.
“The President appreciates the rescue and recovery efforts in which emergency services and police from towns surrounding the mine and from Mangaung are engaged.”
