Our final mission for last year, flown on 17th December 2005, was requested by the Brits Bankeveld Conservation Forum and comprised another aerial survey of the now devastated granite koppies in the Brits area.  Following this mission we received a detailed report from Andrie Loubser -:

"Since 2001 The Bateleurs have enabled us (the Brits Bankeveld Conservation Forum) to take aerial photographs of the granite mines which have been extending operations into the area north west of the town of Brits, since 1998.  These aerial surveys have allowed us to monitor the utter devastation of a unique and pristine eco system, which is being destroyed in a deliberate but avoidable manner.

Granite is mined in huge blocks for export to European countries, where the blocks are sawn, hewn and dressed, and used for the cladding of multi-storey buildings.  In the process of mining the stone or rock is pried from or exploded out of the ground, but only 8 to 12% of the granite thus acquired is considered acceptable for export purposes. The remaining rocks are regarded as rubble and discarded.  On the Brits granite koppies these rocks are thrown down the hillsides onto pristine vegetation and abandoned there.

The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) is the lead agent, responsible by law, for ensuring that optimal mining is taking place.   However, our monitoring and investigation missions indicate that the DME has allowed granite mining in areas where this is simply not viable.  Also, these mining activities have been executed in a haphazard and uneconomical fashion, resulting in vast surface areas of these unique koppies being completely destroyed.

In June 2004, an aerial survey of the proliferating granite mines was conducted and, thanks to The Bateleurs, a television crew from 50/50 accompanied us.  The subsequent programme aired by 50/50 elicited a response from the DME.  Mr Jocinta Rocha, who was then the Acting Deputy Director General, gave a clear public statement that the granite mining fraternity would be brought to heel.

It all sounded very promising.  The DME began to exert (gentle) pressure on the mines to rehabilitate the destruction they had caused, and it contracted the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop "Best Practice Guidelines for Mining and Rehabilitation for Granite Mines in Brits Rustenburg Areas of South Africa". 

On 17th December 2005, The Bateleurs again assisted us to do aerial monitoring and to take photographs, focussing on the promised rehabilitation or lack thereof; the new mining operations;  the extension of existing mining operations; and improper vesting of industries on mining areas.  Bateleur pilots Craig McKenzie, Abrie Kruger, David Levy and Thys Basson gave their time and the use of their aircraft to fly us over the devastated areas, and we were again accompanied by a crew from 50/50. 

We could see that efforts had been made by a few of the mines to clean up their act, but some mines had merely coloured the broken rock on the dumps and hillsides. No rubble had been removed from the formerly pristine areas, and none of the old quarries had been backfilled.  We also noted new mines on the scene - previously there was no knowledge of these at all. 

The scenes of devastation were such that David Levy exclaimed:  "It looks just like a gold rush!"  Abrie Kruger in his microlight had trouble keeping his rig on the flight path and taking photos at the same time, and Thys Basson was so alarmed at the archeological devastation that he took a multitude of photographs which clearly depict the environmental degradation. 

We had invited Ms Melissa Fourie, Director of Enforcement within the Department of Environment & Tourism (DEAT) to accompany us on this latest mission, so that she could obtain first-hand knowledge of the destruction, but unfortunately she declined our invitation.

So much had been promised by the DME in the original 50/50 programme, but so little has been done by the authorities to bring the granite mining fraternity to heel.  Our photographs speak for themselves.

50/50 will visit us in the week of 28 February 2006, when final arrangements will be made for its follow-up programme.  We thank The Bateleurs in advance for their assistance with the next of these monitoring missions, to update our data.

It is wonderful when a plan comes together and thank you again to all The Bateleurs supporters who have made these missions possible.

The American Indians have a saying that each one of us has two wolves inside us - a good wolf and an evil wolf.  The wolf that prospers and grows is the one that is fed, and The Bateleurs are feeding the good wolf."