Outa will see Aurora directors in court next week over Vaal River pollution

The prosecution of Aurora directors is expected to get under way within days at the Springs Magistrate's Court.

"The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) was informed in early March that summons had been issued and that prosecution should commence next Tuesday for environmental and water transgressions at the failed Grootvlei mine near Springs in the Upper Vaal Management Area," Outa said on Thursday.

The directors included Jacob Zuma's nephew Khulubuse Zuma, Nelson Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela‚ Thulani Ngubane and Raja Alam Shah.

Outa added: "The mismanagement and looting of the mine by its directors led to the collapse of the mine, leaving 5,300 mineworkers unemployed. The Grootvlei looting included the removal of pumps essential for controlling the acid mine drainage (AMD) into Gauteng's water sources, resulting in uncontrolled acid spillage into the Blesbokspruit, which drains into the Vaal River."

Outa's legal officer, Stefanie Fick, believes the National Prosecuting Authority will rely on, among other legal provisions, section 151 of the National Water Act which criminalises any noncompliance with water licence conditions. If found guilty, the directors can be fined, or imprisoned for up to five years, or both.

Pamodzi liquidators appointed Aurora Empowerment Systems in October 2009 to manage Pamodzi Gold mines that had been placed under provisional liquidation.

Aurora was liquidated in October 2010.

In August 2018, 300 of 5,300 Aurora ex-employees received their first pay after an eight-year legal battle against the former mine directors.

The Pretoria High Court found the Aurora directors guilty in their personal capacities on June 25 2015.