Thungela’s Annea Colliery completed two water and sanitation infrastructure projects benefiting rural communities within the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, valued at more than R6.5 million. The projects form part of Annea’s Social and Labour Plan. Implemented in a phased approach, these projects will go a long way in improving access to clean and reliable water for residents in the municipality.
Edrich Welthagen, general manager at Annea Colliery, said: “Access to proper sanitation is fundamental to the dignity, health and overall wellbeing of communities. This project responds directly to needs identified through consultation with residents and the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality as part of its Integrated Development Plan. We are pleased to have delivered infrastructure that will make a meaningful and lasting difference to households, providing them with clean, reliable water and improving access to essential sanitation services.”
A sanitation pilot project was launched in Vlakkuilen and Umcebo in 2024 and expanded to all four beneficiary communities in 2025, and completed in 2026, with all infrastructure officially handed over to the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality and beneficiary communities in July 2026.
The project boasts, 110 dry sanitation facilities to individual households in Vlakkuilen Farm, Umcebo Village, Schurvekop and Blinkwater Farm. This included 16 households in Vlakkuilen Farm, 23 in Umcebo Village, 38 in Schurvekop and 33 in Blinkwater Farm. Sanitation facilities were also installed at the community halls in Vlakkuilen and Umcebo.
A water system project was also rolled out in the same communities, consisting of three new boreholes in each community, with two in each area equipped and connected to new water infrastructure. The system includes pumps, storage tanks, tank stands and reticulation infrastructure, bringing water for drinking and general household use to residents. Before this project was implemented, residents relied on two refurbished boreholes and a windmill-operated water source. The new infrastructure will strengthen the existing water supply and support more reliable access for both communities.
Councillor Nhlakanipho Zuma, Executive Mayor of the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, said: “This is an important investment in communities that have previously faced challenges with accessing reliable water and sanitation services. We welcome Thungela’s contribution and commend the partnership between the municipality, communities and all stakeholders who helped identify the need, support implementation and enable the successful delivery and handover of this infrastructure. This collaboration has been instrumental in bringing essential services closer to residents.”
The execution of the projects collectively created 18 short-term employment opportunities for residents and 6 business opportunities for host-community enterprises. The infrastructure is fully operational and will go a long way in improving the dignity and quality of lives, becoming a part of their everyday life.
For further information, please contact:
Hulisani Rasivhaga
hulisani.rasivhaga@thungela.com
083 370 2327
Editor’s note:
Thungela, which means ‘to ignite’ in isiZulu, is one of the largest pure-play producers and exporters of high-quality thermal coal, with operations in South Africa and Australia. Our quality coal reserves and marketable production position us as a key player in the global energy market as we deliver coal through world-class ports, powering nations.
The Group owns interests in and produces its thermal coal from five mining operations located in Mpumalanga, South Africa, which consist of both underground and opencast mines, namely Greenside, Khwezela, Zibulo, Mafube and Annea. Thungela owns 100% of the Ensham Mine in Queensland, Australia, reinforcing its geographic diversification strategic pillar.
Thungela Marketing International in Dubai underscores the company’s commitment to capturing the full margin on our products and engaging with the international commodities market as a global coal producer. In other parts of the value chain, Thungela holds a 50% interest in Phola Coal Processing Plant, and a 23.56% direct interest in Richard’s Bay Coal Terminal. The terminal is one of the world’s leading coal export terminals, with an advanced 24-hour operation and a design capacity of 91Mtpa.
Thungela is committed to operating in a responsible way to ignite value for a shared future. We want to ensure that our mining activities positively impact our employees, shareholders and the communities where we operate.
For the media:
Download photograph pack (3.6MB)