Acid Mine Drainage in South Africa ― Development Actors, Policy Impacts, and Broader Implications

This SpringerBrief focuses on Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in the three basins of the Witwatersrand’s goldfields in the Vaal River System in South Africa. It provides a background to AMD and its impacts, and takes a social science perspective to assess the South African government and non-governmental organizations’ response to AMD as well as its socio-economic and development effects. This volume, which is based on the author’s Master’s dissertation at UNISA, involves interviews with experts from government departments, environmental activists, the private sector, tourism and agriculture. Policy recommendations in response to the many socio-economic impacts which have not been addressed any policy documents on AMD up until this point are also included. A literature review on the global context of AMD is provided.

South Africa’s water systems are already severely harmed by climate change, different forms of pollution, and poorly managed sanitation systems. Therefore, the country is becoming increasingly water-stressed and will continue to become much scarcer in future. As a result of AMD’s continued impact on water systems, as a technical or scientific matter as well as its policy implications for the mining sector, water security and socio-economic sustainability it has become a highly contested issue.