Toxic Gold Dust: The Deadly Legacy of Mining Haunts Soweto’s Snake Park

In Snake Park, Soweto, residents live under a cloud of gold dust—one that is poisoning them. Towering over their homes is a massive mine dump, a relic of South Africa’s once-booming gold mining industry. It contains hazardous metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, which have seeped into the air, soil, and water for decades.

The toxic legacy of mining has left deep scars on the community. Many suffer from chronic respiratory diseases, while others fear the long-term consequences of exposure. And with climate change increasing extreme weather events, the health risks are only getting worse.

The Human Cost of Mining Waste

Community activist Thokozile Mntambo has seen the effects firsthand. Armed with a laptop and a questionnaire, she has gone door-to-door collecting stories of illness and suffering. For her, the struggle is personal.

“My sister gave birth to a child with cerebral palsy. My mom passed away from breathing problems. My brother has asthma. I’m also asthmatic,” Mntambo told Bhekisisa’s Health Beat programme.

Scientific research backs her fears. Studies show that prolonged exposure to toxic metals like lead can cause cognitive impairments, kidney damage, and increased risks of high blood pressure. A 2024 Canadian study even linked air pollution during pregnancy to cerebral palsy in newborns.

Climate Change Making Matters Worse

As temperatures rise, the toxic dust from the mine dump becomes even more dangerous.

“When it’s very hot, the body’s ability to deal with heat is compromised—especially for people with asthma or other respiratory diseases,” says Caradee Wright, a public health specialist at the South African Medical Research Council.

The combination of air pollution and heatwaves has proven to be deadly. Studies from Europe show that while air pollution alone increases death rates by 5% and heatwaves by 6%, the combination of the two results in a shocking 21% increase in mortality.

And it’s not just the air that’s a threat. Heavy rains and flooding can destabilize the mine dump, risking a catastrophic collapse into the surrounding neighborhood.

A Fight for Justice and Accountability

Despite the clear health risks, local communities feel sidelined. Mntambo and her fellow activists tried to plant sunflowers to absorb toxins from the soil, but their efforts were shut down. Meanwhile, mining companies continue to receive licenses to re-mine the site without consulting residents.

One such company, Pan African Resources, claims to be rehabilitating the area. “Our concurrent environmental rehabilitation of these historic tailings deposits is already improving air and water quality,” the company states on its website.

However, activists remain skeptical. “Companies are not consulting our communities,” Mntambo says. “They receive mining licenses while we are left suffering the consequences.”

What Comes Next?

Pan African Resources has promised to conduct community workshops and health tests. They have also started clearing channels around the mine dump to prevent flooding. But for residents of Snake Park, this is not enough.

“We eat your dust. We find it in our food, in our homes, every single day,” Mntambo says. “We want change, and we want to be included in decision-making.”

The next step is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to evaluate the effects of future mining operations. Whether it will lead to real change—or just more broken promises—remains to be seen.

For now, the people of Snake Park remain trapped between a deadly past and an uncertain future, as the toxic gold dust continues to settle over their lives.