Tiny Dhlamini is planting the seeds for a healthier future in a toxic environment

“I’ve got immense respect for Tiny. She doesn’t have to do it and she doesn’t get rewarded. It’s just sheer dedication.” — David van Wyk, Bench Marks Foundation.  

As you approach Snake Park, the waste dumps created by the long-closed gold mines rise up behind a sea of small houses and shacks. The closer you get, the dustier the air becomes and as you walk past the yards that house goats, chickens and geese, your shoes begin to fill with sand.  

Walk even further and the sand begins to change colour. Clusters of red start to appear, then dark grey and, eventually, you will notice tinges of green. These are the remnants of heavy metals, left over from decades of mining the land for gold. 

The sand that blows into the community below and fills the lungs of every inhabitant is toxic. It contains the same metals that seep into the ground and contaminate the water and soil, including iron, lead, copper, sulphur and uranium.  

Research conducted in 2017 by Bench Marks Foundation concluded that the toxic dust is responsible for hundreds of cases of asthma, severe coughing and children born with mental and physical defects. 

In Johannesburg alone, there are about 240 of these dumps. For thousands of people living downwind from them, it is something that they have learned to live with, a fate that they have had to accept.  

But there is hope… 

Tiny Dhlamini is on a mission to rehabilitate the abandoned mine dumps. The area is vast but Dhlamini has more than a passion for change; she has a plan.  

“I want to see the people of Snake Park living right, in a clean environment where there are no impacts from the mines.” 

Through her work with the Bench Marks Foundation, she has learned that sunflowers, bamboo and Hibiscus cannabinus plants will clean up the soil. They will detoxify the sand through their roots, while simultaneously creating a barrier to stop it from blowing across the neighbouring communities. It’s a simple solution but difficult to implement because, to do so, they really need the collaboration of the government and the support of the gold mines.  

Dhlamini works tirelessly, campaigning to raise awareness about the issues in Snake Park, engaging authorities and keeping the voices of the community in the minds of the people in power. It’s not just a matter of justice, it’s a labour of love for a community where she doesn’t even live. 

Dhlamini has started a co-op called Bambanani (hold each other), with members of the Snake Park community. Together they are looking for ways to source bamboo seeds and a tractor so they can get planting.  

Working alongside geologists to monitor the chemical density in the land, her dream is to blanket the area in bamboo so that not only will it clean the soil and stop the dust from blowing across the townships below, but it will also provide a building resource for the residents.  

She hopes that Snake Park will become a bamboo city, a tourist attraction and an example of rehabilitation. It’s a big dream, but if she succeeds, her hard work could provide clean air and water for generations to come. DM

It’s Women’s Month in South Africa and so, throughout August, The Actionists will exclusively be featuring stories of inspiring women who are working to make a positive change in the world around them.

The Actionists was launched in early 2023 by photographer Thom Pierce. It consists of on-the-ground problem solvers, community activists, climate campaigners and human rights defenders who engage in direct action. They are people anyone can turn to in difficult circumstances: a growing community of people who care about the future of South Africa. Through a series of photographic stories, Pierce profiles these people. Through a website, discussion forum and social media, the aim is to provide ways for people to get involved.

Nominate Actionists in your circle at www.theactionists.co.za or email [email protected]

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.