October 27, 2006
By Lucille Davie
THE Top Star Drive-In, a city landmark, has been saved from reclamation by a two-year protection proclamation, but this will soon be challenged in court.
Published in the August provincial gazette, the protection is a measure to slow down the progressively changing landscape of Joburg's southern suburbs, as well as save some mine dumps as heritage items.
Sophisticated technology enables the mining industry to extract fine traces of gold from the dumps, not possible 100 years ago when the dumps were created. Many mine dumps have already been reclaimed, and the remaining soil has been deposited in two huge dumps being created alongside Nasrec.
The 50m tall Top Star dump, typical of dozens of dumps immediately south of the city centre, has a special significance for Joburgers because many recall going to the drive-in and watching movies with the city's skyscrapers as a stunning backdrop.
The dump was converted into a drive-in in the early 1960s, and although the drive-in is relatively young, it represents a "unique social phenomenon", of society before television came to South Africa in 1976, according to archaeologists Wouter Fourie and Jaco van der Walt, who compiled an environmental impact assessment of the dump.
The drive-in, offering wonderful panoramic views of the city and southern Joburg, is looking shabby and neglected. It is occasionally used for media launches, film shoots and concerts but movies have not been shown at the venue since June. Together with its neighbouring slimes dam, a finer-grade dump now covered with light-industrial warehouses, it is part of the Park Central suburb.
For the past 20 years Joburg's dumps have gradually been reclaimed, causing "a major change to the cultural landscape and skyline of Johannesburg and surrounding areas". The authors lament the fact that "very few of the historical mining structures have been preserved or documented in the past and a rich history has been destroyed".
The argument in favour of removing the dump involves the removal of a source of surface water contamination and air pollution from dust, as well as freeing up valuable land for development.
"It is our opinion that the dump is a unique feature in the Johannesburg landscape and current pollution from the dump must be quantified to back the pollution claims, for its removal," say the archaeologists.
Fight brewing
But a fight is brewing. DRD Gold South Africa, the dump's owners, is adamant that it will remove the dump, reclaiming as much gold as is possible, particularly as the gold price is buoyant at the moment. "DRD Gold fully intends to do everything in its power to reclaim the dump," says James Duncan, the company's spokesperson.
A possible development for the mine dump, which includes recreational, residential and retail areas
Duncan says lawyers are busy preparing a case to oppose the protection proclamation. "That's not our concern; we will be pursuing our interests."
He indicates that there were extensive public participation meetings last year, involving all parties, from central government bodies to the provincial agriculture, conservation and environment department.
"The clock is ticking, we will make a small margin of profit," he explains, stressing that this won't remain the case forever. When asked about the significance of this particular dump, he says that other dumps containing a lower grade of unprofitable gold can be retained for heritage purposes.
"The historical contribution of the mine dumps to Johannesburg's landscape can be marked in more significant ways, like a historical park. We'd be very happy to be party to this process."
The Provincial Heritage Resources Authority of Gauteng (Phrag), which initiated the protection order, is at present talking to DRD Gold, according to Elsabe Brink, the head of Phrag, although Duncan denies knowledge of this. Brink says that 40 percent of the city's dumps have already been lost. "They are icons of Johannesburg. There are continuing investigations into the mine dumps on the reef."
The national heritage body, the South African Heritage Resources Agency, has to develop guidelines for all areas covered by mine dumps, says Thabo Kgomommu, the provincial manager for Gauteng at the agency. This includes the whole mining industry, mining villages like the historic Crown Mines village, and mining headgear dotted along the reef. He stresses that the matter is urgent as the dumps are fast disappearing.
Section 28.1 of the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 specifically refers to the protection of mine dumps.
History
The heritage impact assessment of the Top Star indicates that the dump dates back to the latter part of the 19th century and was known as the Ferreira Dump. This means that it is older than 100 years.
The dump is on what was originally the Turffontein farm, owned from 1859 by Abraham Smit. Over the years various portions of the farm were sold to other farmers.
When public diggings were proclaimed in 1886, various mining companies operated on the farm – Robinson, Bonanza, Ferreira Deep, Ferreira, Village Main Reef, Worcester Exploration and Wemmer, say Fourie and Van der Walt.
The area of the Top Star dump was owned and worked by the Ferreira Deep Gold Mine which acquired the land around the dump. The dump was begun in 1899, and grew steadily for the next 40 years until 1939, according to the assessment.
In early 1950 the dump was transferred from the Ferreira Estates Company Limited to the Ruargh Hill Development Corporation Limited, which then applied for permission for the establishment of a township in the area.
While the Townships Board supported the proposal, the town council opposed it, concerned that building on a dump could cause problems due to subsidence of parts of the dump. Eventually permission was granted, though, with a number of conditions.
Then permission was sought for the construction of a drive-in theatre on top of the dump, specifically for a "Bioscope (European)". The company requesting permission was Inrybelange, which attached 13 site-specific conditions, mainly relating to traffic safety, but also that "no daylight shows would be allowed", says the assessment.
Inrybelange also intended to construct a hotel on the dump, and to allow the sides of the dump to be used for advertising, in particular "10 illuminated advertising boards comprised of moving coloured lights" of 60ft by 60ft (18m by 18m).
Permission was granted and the drive-in opened in the early 1960s, without the hotel or the illuminated advertising boards.
Uniqueness
Fourie and Van der Walt say that the Top Star dump's uniqueness lies in the fact that "it is one of the last surviving intact sand dumps in Johannesburg that provides the central city with its unique character and visual cultural landscape" and, furthermore, it is "a relic of a mining era gone by".
Architectural drawing of the dump before development
They also say that because a large amount of the early mining artefacts and structures have disappeared, "the few surviving structures will have high significance".
On the other hand, they say the "reclamation activities will contribute to the continued viability" of DRD Gold South Africa's operations, which will in turn contribute to the continued employment of 937 people.
Key urban land, say Fourie and Van der Walt, will be unlocked for future development once the mine is removed. This will also mean that the area can be rehabilitated to appropriate environmental standards.
At the public meetings an architectural sketch of a possible development for the site was presented. It included a plan that allows for residential, retail and recreational areas.
"It was not found that any significant issues regarding the history and heritage of the dump were raised. The public instead seem to hold the view that the positive redevelopment of the area will hold more community benefits than the current use of the dump," says the environmental impact assessment.
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