A civil rights organisation has submitted formal objections to a proposed coal mine adjacent to Kruger National Park, citing threats to water security, agriculture and the region’s conservation status.
AfriForum lodged its comments with environmental consultant Kimopax on Friday, opposing Tenbosch Mining’s application to construct an underground coal mine covering approximately 5 500 hectares near the park’s southern boundary.
The application includes plans for significant above-ground infrastructure, including a processing plant, stockpiles, landfills, a sludge storage facility, pollution control dams, water treatment facilities, power supply and road infrastructure.
The civil rights group has opposed similar applications in the area since 2019, submitting objections in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Previous applications have been withdrawn and relaunched under different company names.
The current proposal represents a scaled-down version of an earlier 18 000-hectare project initially submitted in 2018 by Manzolwandle Investments, which was withdrawn in October 2022. That application included both opencast and underground mining operations.
Lambert de Klerk, AfriForum’s manager for environmental affairs, said the public participation process and documentation must meet legal minimum standards.
“Where the basic property descriptions, footprint information and regulatory references are inconsistent or incorrect, the process cannot be treated as valid,” De Klerk said.
The organisation argued that coal mining should not be permitted near Kruger National Park, particularly where documentation contains conflicting and incomplete information.
The region relies heavily on tourism, agriculture and ecological integrity for economic stability. Kruger National Park attracts approximately 950 000 visitors annually and is home to high concentrations of wildlife including lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos.
ALSO READ: Kruger National Park name error rectified amid proposed renaming
AfriForum’s submission highlighted concerns about cumulative impacts on the conservation area, including potential agricultural job losses and risks to water resources in an area where water security is already constrained.
“No mine should be developed in these types of areas. The future of this region depends on the protection of the natural assets that sustain it,” De Klerk said.
The application is currently in the public participation phase, with Kimopax managing the environmental assessment process on behalf of Tenbosch Mining. The proposal requires approval from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, along with an environmental authorisation from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
ALSO READ: WATCH | Kruger National Park faces hundreds of millions in flood damage as recovery fund launched
