Gold mining activities in the Witwatersrand have played a pivotal role in the development and existence of Johannesburg since 1886. Mining made Johannesburg ‘the city of gold’ and has since been the main driving force behind the history and the economic development of Johannesburg and South Africa as a whole (Gass, 2012). A century of gold mining has had many positive impacts on the South African economy; some individuals and companies have become remarkably wealthy, the state has gained significant revenue through taxes from both companies and workers, South Africa has become internationally recognized due to its import and export and it has also resulted in the increase in job creation, however, this driver of the economy has had a substantial effect on the environment, the water supply, plant and aquatic life and the quality of life of the population. The mining industry has not given significant thought and focus to the aftermath of their activities thus leaving the current and future generations to deal with the social and environmental impacts (McCarthy, 2010).
The metropolis of Johannesburg, which is South Africa’s largest city and financial centre, owes its origin to the gold-bearing ores of the Witwatersrand Basin (Tutu, McCarthy & Cukrowska, 2008). This region hosts three basins namely the Western Basin (Krugersdorp area), the Central Basin (Roodepoort to Boksburg) and the Eastern Basin (Brakpan, Springs and Nigel area) and consists of two hundred and seventy