Original Research

Some human actions in the destruction and construction of culture and nature – the Merafong region as a case study

Elize S. van Eeden
The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa | Vol 2, No 2 | a287 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/td.v2i2.287 | © 2006 Elize S. van Eeden | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 11 March 2016 | Published: 11 April 2006

About the author(s)

Elize S. van Eeden, School of Basic Sciences, North-West University, South Africa

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Abstract

For at least the past 180 years the Merafong Municipal region in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, (of which the Wonderfontein Catchment forms a part) has strongly relied on the primary sector for its economic existence and development. In the process some human actions, also related to serious water contamination/pollution, have resulted in phases of constructions1 as well as economic and health destructions. Differences over whose environment and whose nature it is spontaneously developed, with sometimes less friendly outcomes. The ‘end result’ up to 2006 is a complicated scenario experience, similar to that of many other regions or local areas, but also very unique and somewhat frightening. The long term focus of this article is to exchange knowledge2 on the region with the objective to contribute towards creating a sustainable nvironment by ensuring closer co-operation between the various economic active cultures operating or functioning in the Merafong municipal region. In this article four aspects are covered.

Keywords

Merafong municipality; Wonderfontein; North-West Province; water-related health; water pollution; gold mining; sinkholes; uranium pollution

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