Chairman of the Kolobisi Tailing Dam Association (KTDA) has called on the police to prioritise the Tailing Storage Facility at Gold Ridge mine site.
Primo Amusae made the call during a meeting with the police, Friday.
NelaMosese, Deputy Police Commissioner Operations and his senior executives met with Gold Ridge Chiefs and landowners Association.
The meeting was called bythe police to inform landowners of their plan to step up strategic policing at the Gold Rdgemining lease area and to gauge understanding with chiefs and landowners.
The strategic policing plan, according to Mosese, was mandated by the national government in an unprecedented effort to protect millions of dollar worth of assets left at the mining lease area as the company scaled down its operations.
Gold Ridge Mining Ltd over the past months drew media headlines as it tussles to recommence mining operations at Gold Ridge.
So far it has removed machines and equipment from the plant site, shut down its powerhouse at the plant site and has carried out a massive redundant exercise, as it awaits its Board of Directors to decide the fate of the operation
Mosese confirmedduring the meeting that police will station the Police Response Team (PRT) and a final assessment will be carried outby his office.
Amusaea said whilst he appreciates the initiative taken by the police to beef up security, his concern is for the safety of the tailings dam.
“It remains my biggest worry,”he explained at the meeting.
He added that rumours had it that certain tailing facilities have either been damaged or removed by culprits during the past weeks.
“This is my major concern therefore I call on the police to provide a full time (24 hours) security at the tailings dam facility,” he said.
“The dam must be sealed off and police officers should be deployed to provide 24 hours security at the site,” he added.
Amusaesaid the tailings dam’s safety remains a paramount necessity because the threat it poses is quite serious and not everybody is aware of this.
“Discharging of the wastes depends very much on facilities but once they are destroyed or stolen, nothing can be done, thus water level will continue to rise and will overspill.
“The tailings dam equipment and apparatus are very expensive to buy, therefore up-keeping is a must to avoid spending more money on them once operations resumed,” he said.
Amusae added that once that happened, lives of everyone will be at risk.
“Not only are the downstream and surrounding communities at risk, but the country as a whole.
“The seriousness of the risks is looming therefore it must not be underestimated.”
Currently Gold Ridge Mining Ltd mining activities have been suspended after the April floods.
