The Department of Water and Sanitation has allowed the Jagersfontein mine to continue operating despite a critical report into the 2022 dam wall collapse.
The report, released on Friday, suggested that mine management may have been aware of the risks prior to the disaster. It also revealed that the mine was built without designs from a registered engineer.
The collapse, which occurred just over three years ago, resulted in two deaths and one person missing and presumed dead.
The report has been submitted to Cabinet to guide the development of regulations for tailings dams that fall outside the scope of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Act.
Despite the findings, the department has opted not to shut down the mine. Officials cited concerns about the economic impact on the local town, emphasising measures are being taken to prevent a repeat of the incident.
Current operations are using a historic pit originally developed by De Beers during its diamond mining activities.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Jagersfontein mine are facing criminal prosecution over the incident, with the case now before the Free State High Court.
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