Community perceptions on the health risks of acid mine drainage: the environmental justice struggles of communities near mining fields

Environmental and social research studies have debated the impact of acid mine drainage (AMD). Solutions to the problems caused by AMD have tended towards a technocratic investment in temporary to long-term solutions. However, the health effects of AMD remain neglected in research and policy arenas because of the lack of documented evidence. As a result, this renders the problem invisible, while the impact is deleterious for poor communities. Such communities suffer the effects of AMD principally through a perpetual risk posed by water pollution. Moreover, they are voiceless and excluded from matters affecting their well-being. This study was carried out with a community in Carolina, near the Mpumalanga coal mining fields. It tested their understanding and perceptions of health risks associated with AMD. The goal was to uncover the knowledge of the research participants of the existence of AMD and of its impact on their physical health and well-being. Qualitative methods were employed to measure knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions and to analyse the diseases inventory of the study population. Findings suggest that communities located near mines are affected by mining externalities that pose a threat to their health. It was also discovered that such communities are excluded from any planning and decision-making by local mining authorities. This case study presents strong evidence in favour of empowering marginalised communities by including them in decision-making, actively facilitating their participation, and exposing them to environmental health education to increase their awareness and reduce the risks caused by mining externalities.