Perceptions of environmental impacts of artisanal coal mining vis-à-vis the scientific reality: a case of a community in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal Province

Abstract

ABSTRACT The current study investigated the perceived impact of informal coal mining on the environment of a rural community in Blaauwbosch, KwaZulu-Natal Province, in South Africa. Data was extracted through questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informant interviews targeting perceptions from community members, government officials, informal coal miners, learners and educators of a local school on the environmental impacts of informal coal mining. After stratifying the participants, community members aware of the environmental impacts of coal mining cited poor air quality as the most critical impact of coal mining, while educators and learners mentioned landscape transformation. Community members were generally not satisfied with government's interventions towards containing the impact of coal mining, while educators and learners were somewhat satisfied as they felt government response was slow and laboured. Therefore, in addition to awareness campaigns within the community to improve information access regarding the disadvantages of informal coal mining, the government should intensify its efforts by implementing effective follow-ups on proposed responses. The government should also design interventions to address the area's high poverty and unemployment levels to reduce community engagement in informal coal mining activities.