South Africa’s gradual transition away from coal-based electricity is accelerating, but a growing environmental crisis is emerging in its wake. Hundreds of abandoned coal mines are being left without proper rehabilitation, turning into long-term sources of polluted water, toxic waste, and land degradation, according to a new civil society report.
Environmental groups warn that without urgent intervention, these sites will continue contaminating soil and waterways for decades, while the financial burden increasingly shifts toward the state and taxpayers rather than mining companies.
Hundreds of Coal Mines Closed Without Enough Rehabilitation Funding
South African law requires mining companies to set aside funds for environmental restoration through trusts, bank guarantees, or insurance mechanisms. However, a report by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) reveals a systemic failure in implementation.
According to the findings, none of the 412 coal mines that closed between 2006 and 2023 had sufficient financial provisions to cover full rehabilitation costs. Even more concerning, government records are incomplete, with missing closure data for multiple years, making the true scale of abandoned mining sites difficult to determine. Although regulations require companies to remain responsible for land restoration until formal closure approval is granted, many operations fail to comply before abandoning sites or declaring bankruptcy.
Mpumalanga: The Epicenter of South Africa’s Coal Legacy
The Mpumalanga region, home to more than 100 coal mines and numerous aging power stations, sits at the center of South Africa’s fossil fuel economy. It is also one of the most heavily impacted environmental zones in the country, where acid mine drainage, contaminated soil, and degraded water systems are increasingly common.
CER researcher Tarisai Mugunyani, author of the report “No More Ghost Towns: Lessons From Mpumalanga’s Mine Closure Crisis”, says many companies also fail to rehabilitate land during active mining operations, worsening end-of-life environmental damage. By the time mines close, companies are often insolvent or no longer operational, leaving no entity responsible for cleanup.
Acid Mine Drainage and Toxic Legacy Risks
Environmental experts warn that coal mining creates particularly severe long-term risks due to its chemical composition. According to Mariette Liefferink, CEO of the Federation for a Sustainable Environment, coal is often associated with iron pyrite, which leads to acid mine drainage long after mining stops.
She notes that cleanup costs can exceed $28 million per site, prompting some companies to abandon operations or declare bankruptcy instead of fulfilling obligations.
This leaves behind hazardous landscapes including:
- Acidic and radioactive mine water
- Unstable tailings dams
- Toxic slurry leakage into river systems
- Long-term soil contamination
In some cases, these failures have resulted in infrastructure collapse and widespread environmental exposure across major water catchment areas.
Weak Enforcement Leaves Communities Exposed
When mining companies abandon sites, responsibility shifts to the government, which must attempt to recover rehabilitation funds through financial guarantees held by banks or insurers.
Enforcement is complex and slow. As Mugunyani explains, affected communities have no direct mechanism to trigger rehabilitation. Instead, action depends on ministerial intervention and formal financial processes. This system often leaves significant delays between mine closure and actual environmental remediation.
Communities Bear the Cost of Environmental Damage
The human impact is equally severe.
Residents in mining regions frequently live with:
- Contaminated air and water
- Unsafe abandoned mine shafts
- Degraded farmland
- Limited economic opportunities after mine closure
According to CER, communities often receive little long-term benefit from mining activity, while being left with environmental degradation once operations end.
Ermelo Community Struggles With Abandoned Mine Sites
In Ermelo, a coal-mining hub in Mpumalanga, local activist Zethu Hlatshwayo of the Khuthala Environmental Care Group has been working since 2000 to rehabilitate abandoned mining areas. The group plants indigenous vegetation, converts degraded land into food gardens, and campaigns for mine rehabilitation and economic transition programs for former mine workers.
One of the most cited examples is the Imbabala coal mine, which operated only between 2007 and 2011 before being abandoned without proper closure. Hlatshwayo reports that the site was left unsecured, with open shafts now filled with rainwater that has created toxic surface pools. The rehabilitation guarantee left behind—approximately $36,720—was far below actual cleanup requirements. Despite government inspections more than a decade ago, no remediation has taken place.
Calls for Accountability and Legal Action
Activists argue that mine abandonment is not being properly prosecuted despite being illegal under South African law.
Hlatshwayo says no mining executives have been arrested or fined for leaving behind environmental damage, and civil society groups are now pursuing legal action to force rehabilitation and promote redevelopment of damaged land for renewable energy and agriculture.
Report Calls for Stronger Oversight and Public Transparency
The CER report warns that without stronger regulation, South Africa risks creating more “ghost towns” built on abandoned mining sites.
Key recommendations include:
- A public digital database of all mines and closure plans
- Transparent disclosure of rehabilitation funding levels
- Mandatory environmental and social closure audits
- Stronger enforcement of financial guarantees
- Independent oversight bodies with investigative powers
- Greater community participation in mine closure decisions
The report also argues that mine closure certificates should only be issued once independent experts confirm that environmental and safety risks have been fully addressed. Until then, companies must remain legally responsible for their sites.
