Harmony Gold’s death-trap dams
Mother believes mine should be held accountable.
Two dams owned by Harmony Gold Mine in Gauteng, South Africa, still lack fencing despite multiple tragedies. The unsupervised facilities put children's lives in danger due to their proximity to residential areas. One dam, Return Water Dam, is located in Doornkop, Johannesburg, while Evaporation Dam sits in Slovoville, near Roodepoort.
Tragedies struck in 2020 and 2016 when children fell into the dams. In 2020, 13-year-old Isaac Lesupi drowned while swimming in Return Water Dam. In 2016, a nine-year-old boy tragically lost his life in Evaporation Dam. Isaac's mother, Winnie Lesupi, received R15,000 for funeral expenses but has been unable to hold the mine accountable for her son's death.
Lesupi attempted to seek compensation of R2.5 million from the mine through legal action but faced obstacles. She has appealed to authorities and civic organizations for support in her pursuit of justice. Lesupi believes Harmony should be held responsible for the tragedy. The mine claims to have received condolences from the mine following the incidents.
When questioned about the unsupervised dams, Harmony Gold Mine spokesperson Chipo Morapedi-Mrara acknowledged the previous drowning incidents but did not provide further details.
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