The spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) in the Free State, Zweli Mohobeleli confirmed on Tuesday, 26 August 2025, five males aged between 34 and 80 have been served with summonses to appear in court in connection with the 2022 Jagersfontein dam wall collapse which claimed the lives of st least three people and left several properties damaged.
The mining waste disaster unfolded at 6am on 11 September 2022 when the tailings dam at the Jagersfontein diamond processing operation collapsed.
It released a torrent of thick grey sludge into the neighbouring areas of Charlesville and Itumeleng, killing several people, leaving two missing, injuring dozens and inundating rivers and grazing land.
After a criminal investigation by the Hawks and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has ordered that the suspects appear in the Jagersgontein Magistrates Court on 10 September 2025.
“The suspects, who are employees of an engineering company, a compliance officer, and an operations manager, will face charges including murder, malicious damage to property, and contravention of the Health and Safety Act.
“Acting Free State Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Brigadier Xolani Matroos has praised everyone involved in the criminal investigation for their hard work,” said Mohobeleli.
Expressing concern over what it categorised as delayed justice, the Jagersfontein Lerumo Justice Forum has rejected the number of people reportedly killed in the disaster.
The mining waste disaster unfolded at 6am on 11 September 2022 when the tailings dam at the Jagersfontein diamond processing operation collapsed.
It released a torrent of thick grey sludge into the neighbouring areas of Charlesville and Itumeleng, killing several people, leaving two missing, injuring dozens and inundating rivers and grazing land.
Chairperson of the forum, Thabo Choledi, says all they want is justice.
“Our concern is that it’s almost three years delaying in giving community justice. I think for us as a community, that is the main human right violation that we went through. We want to see these people being charged. It (the situation) has left us desperate – it left us destitute as a community; we are really concerned. It seems as if the government doesn’t care for our people. So now we are really suffering because of this thing and we are waiting to see justice.”
