South Africa’s shift away from coal-based electricity is accelerating, while a civil society report says hundreds of abandoned coal mines are being left without full rehabilitation. The report links the closures to long-term pollution risks, including contaminated water, toxic waste and land degradation. Environmental groups warn that these sites could continue affecting soil and waterways for decades. They also say the financial burden is increasingly moving to the state and taxpayers rather than remaining with mining companies.
Rehabilitation funding gaps after coal mine closures
South African mining law requires companies to set aside funds for environmental restoration through mechanisms such as trusts, bank guarantees or insurance. A report by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) describes a systemic failure in how these requirements are implemented. It states that none of the 412 coal mines that closed between 2006 and 2023 had sufficient financial provisions to cover full rehabilitation costs. The report also says government closure records are incomplete, with missing closure data for multiple years.
The CER findings indicate that the scale of abandoned mining sites is difficult to quantify because of gaps in closure information. Regulations require companies to remain responsible for land restoration until formal closure approval is granted. However, the report says many operations do not comply before abandoning sites or declaring bankruptcy. As a result, responsibility for rehabilitation can shift away from the original operators.
Mpumalanga’s mine closure crisis
Mpumalanga is described as the core of South Africa’s coal legacy, with more than 100 coal mines and numerous aging power stations in the province. The region is also cited as one of the most environmentally affected areas in the country. CER says acid mine drainage, contaminated soil and degraded water systems are increasingly common there. It also notes that environmental damage can worsen when rehabilitation is not carried out during active mining.
CER researcher Tarisai Mugunyani, author of “No More Ghost Towns: Lessons From Mpumalanga’s Mine Closure Crisis,” says some companies fail to rehabilitate land while operations are still running. By the time mines close, companies may be insolvent or no longer operational, leaving cleanup responsibilities unresolved. The report frames this as a closure-stage problem tied to end-of-life site management.
Acid mine drainage and long-term contamination risks
Environmental experts cited in the report say coal mining carries severe long-term risks linked to chemical composition. Mariette Liefferink, CEO of the Federation for a Sustainable Environment, says coal is often associated with iron pyrite, which can drive acid mine drainage after mining stops. She adds that cleanup costs can exceed $28 million per site. She says some companies respond by abandoning operations or declaring bankruptcy rather than meeting obligations.
The CER report lists hazardous outcomes associated with poorly managed closures, including acidic and radioactive mine water and unstable tailings dams. It also cites toxic slurry leakage into river systems and long-term soil contamination. In some cases, it says failures have contributed to infrastructure collapse and widespread environmental exposure across major water catchment areas.
Government recovery mechanisms and delays in remediation
When mining companies abandon sites, responsibility shifts to government entities tasked with recovering rehabilitation funds. The report says governments attempt to recover money through financial guarantees held by banks or insurers. It characterizes enforcement as complex and slow once abandonment occurs. According to Mugunyani, affected communities do not have a direct mechanism to compel rehabilitation.
The CER researcher says action depends on ministerial intervention and formal financial processes. This structure can create significant delays between mine closure and actual environmental remediation. The report presents these delays as part of how communities remain exposed after sites are left behind.
Community impacts in mining regions
CER links environmental damage from abandoned mines to ongoing impacts on residents in mining areas. It lists contaminated air and water alongside unsafe abandoned mine shafts. The report also cites degraded farmland and limited economic opportunities after mine closure as recurring issues described by communities. It states that communities often receive little long-term benefit from mining activity while facing environmental degradation once operations end.
Ermelo case: Imbabala coal mine rehabilitation shortfall
In Ermelo, a coal-mining hub in Mpumalanga, local activist Zethu Hlatshwayo of the Khuthala Environmental Care Group has worked since 2000 on rehabilitating abandoned mining areas. The group plants indigenous vegetation and converts degraded land into food gardens while campaigning for mine rehabilitation and economic transition programs for former mine workers. One example cited by Hlatshwayo is the Imbabala coal mine.
The Imbabala operation ran from 2007 to 2011, after which it was abandoned without proper closure procedures. Hlatshwayo reports that the site was left unsecured, with open shafts now filled with rainwater that has formed toxic surface pools. The rehabilitation guarantee left behind was approximately $36,720, which she says was far below actual cleanup requirements. She also states that despite government inspections more than a decade ago, no remediation has taken place.
Legal accountability and oversight recommendations
Activists cited by CER argue that mine abandonment is not being prosecuted despite being illegal under South African law. Hlatshwayo says no mining executives have been arrested or fined for leaving environmental damage at abandoned sites. She adds that civil society groups are pursuing legal action aimed at forcing rehabilitation and supporting redevelopment of damaged land for renewable energy and agriculture.
The CER report calls for stronger oversight and public transparency measures to prevent further “ghost towns” linked to abandoned mining sites. Its recommendations include a public digital database of all mines and closure plans, transparent disclosure of rehabilitation funding levels and mandatory environmental and social closure audits. It also calls for stronger enforcement of financial guarantees, independent oversight bodies with investigative powers and greater community participation in mine closure decisions.
The report further argues that mine closure certificates should only be issued after independent experts confirm that environmental and safety risks have been fully addressed. Until then, it says companies must remain legally responsible for their sites.
