Criminal proceedings begin two years after Jagersfontein Dam disaster

Zuko Komisa

Criminal charges have been laid against those responsible for the 2022 Jagersfontein tailings dam collapse, with the first court appearance set for 10 September 2025.
The Department of Water and Sanitation and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment confirmed the case docket has been handed to the NPA.
The prosecution aims to hold those responsible for the disaster, which claimed two lives and caused widespread devastation, accountable.

Criminal proceedings are set to commence against those deemed responsible for the tragic collapse of the Jagersfontein Fine Tailings Storage Facility (FTSF) in 2022.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) have confirmed that a criminal case docket has been finalised and handed over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

The first court appearance is scheduled for 10 September 2025 at the Jagersfontein Magistrate’s Court, with the case expected to be transferred to a higher court on the same day for a full trial.

The collapse, which released a flood of processed mine tailings, claimed two lives, left one person unaccounted for, and caused extensive devastation to the town’s infrastructure, homes, and environment.

According to the departments, the DWS Dam Safety Regulation Directorate conducted an extensive technical study into the cause of the failure.

“This included site visits and expert evaluations by specialist civil engineers, i.e. geotechnical and hydraulic engineers from the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand.

“Parallel to this, the Environmental Management Inspectorates from both DFFE and DWS conducted a joint investigation into the incident. A criminal case docket was finalised and referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Bloemfontein, which has taken the decision to prosecute,” the departments said.

This marks a significant step in the government’s commitment to holding those accountable for the disaster.