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Vaal Reefs: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 26°55′44″S 26°44′10″E / 26.929°S 26.736°E / -26.929; 26.736
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox South African town 2011
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Vaal Reefs
| name = Vaal Reefs
| native_name =
| pushpin_map = South Africa North West#South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|26.929|S|26.736|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
⚫
| other_name =
| image_skyline =
| subdivision_type = Country
| image_caption =
| subdivision_name = [[South Africa]]
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| latd = 26.929 |latm = |lats =
| subdivision_name1 = [[North West (South African province)|North West]]
| longd = 26.736 |longm = |longs =
| province = North West
| subdivision_type2 = District
| district = Dr Kenneth Kaunda
| subdivision_name2 = [[Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality|Dr Kenneth Kaunda]]
| municipality = City of Matlosana
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = [[City of Matlosana Local Municipality|City of Matlosana]]
| established_date =
| government_type = <!-- Ward 00 -->
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| leader_party =
| established_title = Established
| leader_title = Councillor
| leader_title = Councillor
| leader_name =
| area_footnotes = {{#tag:ref |{{cite web |url=http://census.adrianfrith.com/place/61919 |title = Main Place Vaal Reefs |work=Census 2001}} |name=census2001}}
| area_footnotes = {{#tag:ref |{{cite web |url=http://census.adrianfrith.com/place/61919 |title = Main Place Vaal Reefs |work=Census 2001}} |name=census2001}}
| area_total_km2 =
| area_total_km2 = 6.15
6.15 <!-- Vaal Reefs -->
⚫
| population_total =
11345<!--Vaal Reefs-->
| population_footnotes = <ref name="census2001" />
| population_footnotes = <ref name="census2001" />
⚫
| population_total = 11345
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_density_km2 = auto
<!-- race -->
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->
| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2001)
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="census2001" />
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="census2001" />
| demographics1_title1 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]]
| percent_black = 94.8%
| percent_coloured = 0.2%
| demographics1_info1 = 94.8%
| demographics1_title2 = [[Coloureds|Coloured]]
| percent_asian =
| percent_white = 5.0%
| demographics1_info2 = 0.2%
| demographics1_title3 = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]]
| percent_other =
| demographics1_info3 =
<!-- language -->
| demographics1_title4 = [[White South African|White]]
| demographics1_info4 = 5.0%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 =
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->
| demographics_type2 = [[First language]]s (2001)
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="census2001" />
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="census2001" />
| demographics2_title1 = [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]
| demographics2_title1 = [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]
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| demographics2_info4 = 6.0%
| demographics2_info4 = 6.0%
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = AF%
| demographics2_info5 = 18.9%
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
| elevation_m =
<!-- Other information -->
| timezone1 = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
⚫
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street)
| postal_code =
| postal_code =
| area_code =
| postal2_code_type = [[Post-office box|PO box]]
| website =
| postal2_code =
| area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]]
}}
}}
'''Vaal Reefs''' is a town in [[Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality]] in the [[North West (South African province)|North West]] province of [[South Africa]].
'''Vaal Reefs''' is a gold bearing reef which is mined near the town of Orkney in [[Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality]] in the [[North West (South African province)|North West]] province of [[South Africa]].

The town of Orkney is home to a large gold mining operation originally owned by [[AngloGold Ashanti]], a company that was originally incorporated in 1944 under the name of Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited.<ref name=aga>{{cite web|title=Group information|url=http://www.anglogold.com/subwebs/informationforinvestors/reports08/annualreport08/files/group_info.pdf|publisher=AngloGold Ashanti Limited|access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref>

==Disaster==
{{main|Vaal Reefs mining disaster}}

A mining accident on 10 May 1995 killed 104 miners. A locomotive fell into an [[elevator]] shaft at the edge of 56 level, {{convert|1676|m}} below the surface, landing on the cage and causing it to plunge {{convert|460|m}} to the bottom.<ref>{{cite web|title=104 miners are crushed to death when an elevator carrying gold miners plunges to the bottom of a Vaal Reef mineshaft near Orkney|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/104-miners-are-crushed-death-when-elevator-carrying-gold-miners-plunges-bottom-vaal-reef|publisher=South African History Online|access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref><ref name=indep>{{cite web|title=Locomotive crushes 105 gold miners|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/locomotive-crushes-105-gold-miners-1619145.html|publisher=The Independent|access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref> It is the deadliest ever elevator disaster.<ref>[http://www.miningweekly.com/print-version/vaal-reefs-tragedy-commemorated-2005-05-10 Vaal Reefs Tragedy Commemorated]</ref>

This tragedy brought two key changes to the mining industry: The immediate implementation of a new Health & Safety Act and shareholders providing compensation to dead workers' dependents. In this case, 431 dependents became beneficiaries of the Vaal Reefs Disaster Trust. They lived or live across South Africa (114), Lesotho (219), Mozambique (54), Botswana (31) and Eswatini (13).<ref>[http://vrdt.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=27 About Vaal Reefs Disaster Trust]</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

⚫
{{NorthWestZA-geo-stub}}


{{Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality}}
{{Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality}}


[[Category:Populated places in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality]]
[[Category:Populated places in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality]]
[[Category:Gold mines in South Africa]]


⚫
{{NorthWestZA-geo-stub}}

Latest revision as of 19:21, 12 June 2023

Vaal Reefs
Vaal Reefs is located in North West (South African province)
Vaal Reefs
Vaal Reefs
Vaal Reefs is located in South Africa
Vaal Reefs
Vaal Reefs
Coordinates: 26°55′44″S 26°44′10″E / 26.929°S 26.736°E / -26.929; 26.736
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceNorth West
DistrictDr Kenneth Kaunda
MunicipalityCity of Matlosana
Area
[1]
 • Total
6.15 km2 (2.37 sq mi)
Population
 (2001)[1]
 • Total
11,345
 • Density1,800/km2 (4,800/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2001)
[1]
 • Black African94.8%
 • Coloured0.2%
 • White5.0%
First languages (2001)
[1]
 • Xhosa34.7%
 • Sotho26.1%
 • Tswana14.3%
 • Tsonga6.0%
 • Other18.9%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)

Vaal Reefs is a gold bearing reef which is mined near the town of Orkney in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality in the North West province of South Africa.

The town of Orkney is home to a large gold mining operation originally owned by AngloGold Ashanti, a company that was originally incorporated in 1944 under the name of Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited.[2]

Disaster

[edit]
Main article: Vaal Reefs mining disaster

A mining accident on 10 May 1995 killed 104 miners. A locomotive fell into an elevator shaft at the edge of 56 level, 1,676 metres (5,499 ft) below the surface, landing on the cage and causing it to plunge 460 metres (1,510 ft) to the bottom.[3][4] It is the deadliest ever elevator disaster.[5]

This tragedy brought two key changes to the mining industry: The immediate implementation of a new Health & Safety Act and shareholders providing compensation to dead workers' dependents. In this case, 431 dependents became beneficiaries of the Vaal Reefs Disaster Trust. They lived or live across South Africa (114), Lesotho (219), Mozambique (54), Botswana (31) and Eswatini (13).[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Vaal Reefs". Census 2001.
  2. ^ "Group information" (PDF). AngloGold Ashanti Limited. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ^ "104 miners are crushed to death when an elevator carrying gold miners plunges to the bottom of a Vaal Reef mineshaft near Orkney". South African History Online. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Locomotive crushes 105 gold miners". The Independent. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  5. ^ Vaal Reefs Tragedy Commemorated
  6. ^ About Vaal Reefs Disaster Trust


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