Company at centre of Jagersfontein dam burst denies ignoring danger alerts
Over 300 residents in the small Free State town were left homeless after water from a dam located at a Jagersfontein Developments mine cracked open and flooded the area.
JAGERSFONTEIN - Jagersfontein Developments, the mining company at the centre of a dam burst that killed at least one person and destroyed several homes, said it was dumbfounded by Sunday's tragedy.
Over 300 residents in the small Free State town were left homeless after water from a dam located at a Jagersfontein Developments mine cracked open and flooded the area.
The company's legal compliance officer, Marius de Villiers, addressed the media on Tuesday and said the company had set aside R20 million to assist victims.
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De Villiers said millions of rands that Jagersfontein Developments has committed to the victims of Sunday's accident should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt.
“We mustn’t now try and put blame on people for what happened. Let processes continue and conclude and then after, decisions can be made,” De Villiers said.
He denied claims that the mine ignored danger alerts from the community and government authorities.
“I can show you pictures of the wall before the accident, and you would have not been able to tell it was going to burst.”
He said they hope an investigation into Sunday's incident would reveal the truth about what caused the dam burst.
WATCH: Jagersfontein mine dam collapse: What we know so far
