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DPR3706 Assignment 3 (Portfolio) Semester 1 Memo | Due 19 May 2025. All questions fully answered. Case Study: Free State Mine Dam. Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, has declared the Free State flooding from a mine dam wall collapse a disaster after it claimed three confirmed fatalities and several injuries. The disaster took place in the early hours of Sunday morning. It is understood that a dam wall collapsed, causing a mudslide near the Jagersfontein area causing flooding in several areas of the town.
In photo and video footage sent to Daily Maverick, residents can be seen expressing shock at the sight of homes, vehicles and livestock being swept away.
Speaking from South Sudan, in a short virtual media briefing, Mantashe said he would abandon his trip and attend to the crisis alongside other officials: “I am just declaring that because of this disaster, I am cutting the trip short to come back home to be part of the management team of this disaster.”
Preliminary report
As of Sunday evening, 28 people were confirmed to have sustained minor injuries, four people are in critical condition and there are three fatalities, according to a preliminary report from Mantashe. The report also indicated nine houses had been swept away and 20 badly damaged.
Asked if the government would take responsibility and compensate the affected residents, Mantashe said this would be the responsibility of the mine owners, Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd. It is understood that the company, which could not be reached for comment, bought the mine from De Beers, a unit of Anglo-American more than 10 years ago.
Free State provincial spokesperson Sipho Towa confirmed the three deaths.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Kopanong municipal Mayor Xolani Tseletsele said residents and the provincial leadership had warned that such a disaster would one day occur, citing several mine dumps which threatened the safety of residents.
“We have been raising these issues consistently for the past 11 to 12 years that this particular dam, which is a few metres away from the community, would create problems for our community and it happened this weekend.”
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said she had noted the incident with sadness:
“The untold damages in and around the community of Charlesville in Jagersfontein are extensive and have negatively impacted the community. Some people are displaced, others have lost property, whilst others are reported injured and missing.”
Meanwhile, MEC for social development in the province, Motlagomang Qabate, indicated that she had immediately dispatched a team of social workers and community development practitioners to assess the impact of the flooding and to assist with the evacuation to safe areas of those affected.
Power failure
Amid the crisis, power utility Eskom announced that it had lost bulk supply to Centlec, the electricity distributor responsible for Jagersfontein town and township.
“In addition, four Eskom customers on the Fauresmith-Spitskop feeder, three customers in the Pompeii-Rietkuil feeder and the Jagersfontein Mine are without supply. We aim to restore electricity supply before the end of the day.”
Eskom’s Rietkuil substation was also engulfed by the mud, resulting in a total loss of bulk supply to Centlec.
“Due to the current situation in the Jagersfontein area and inaccessibility of our substation, it is impossible to estimate when supply will be restored or to determine the extent of the damage. Since Eskom’s telecommunication system is also affected by the flood, the impact on surrounding networks is still unclear,” said Eskom’s Stefanie Jansen van Rensburg.
Appeal for Help
UPDATE: Dr Imtiaz Sooliman from Gift of the Givers has called for donations of bottled water, food, blankets and mattresses as well as fodder, antibiotics and special feed for lambs.
“The area of Charlesville appears to be most affected with the sudden collapse of a mining dam wall in Jagersfontein pouring out thousands of litres of sludge. Houses, personal belongings and many sheep have been washed away, three bodies have been discovered and community members are missing. The cellphone towers have been damaged, affecting communication, there is no electricity and not a drop of drinkable water. Some of the roads have been cut off,” he said.
“A local church has opened its doors for shelter and accommodation. Immediate requirements include bottled water, bulk food for cooking, blankets, mattresses, clothing, hygiene items, sanitary pads and diapers. Fodder for sheep will also be required. Gift of the Givers teams are currently packing supplies at Bethlehem, Graaff-Reinet, Gqeberha and Cape Town, with the first delivery expected later today in Jagersfontein.
“Gift of the Givers has received requests for assistance from Premier Sefora Ntombela, the SAPS, the farming community and local community members. The heads of the Free State Disaster Management, Markus Butler and Justin Colbert are Gift of the Givers Search and Rescue team members. We will be getting updates directly from them once the network is functional. Arrangements will be made to provide fodder for the sheep,” he said.
QUESTION 1
Discuss four (4) types of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes that Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd mine should adopt to address social and environmental concerns or challenges. Include practical examples in your discussion.
[10]
QUESTION 2
Management of the Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd mine has asked you as a public relations officer to develop a communication plan to inform the Jagersfontein residents about the crisis caused by the collapse of the dam wall. With typical examples, craft a communication plan to communicate to residents about the crisis emanating from the collapse of the dam wall. Your communication plan must be guided by the six (6) components of a communication plan.
[15]
QUESTION 3
The Director in the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy has realised that it is important to engage with the internal staff of the ministry/department on how to inform the Jagersfontein residents about the aftermath of the collapse of the dam wall. As a senior Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, which six (6) communication tools would you use to report to internal staff members on how you are going to engage with the Jagersfontein residents? Name and discuss each of the six communication tools.
[20]
QUESTION 4
You are the head of public relations at Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd mine, and you have recently appointed a public relations intern. With examples, explain to him or her the five (5) most important attributes of a good public relations CSR communication.
[10]
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