REID v DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES (1891 – 1892) 9 SC 333

The document examines a legal dispute between claimholders in the Du Toit’s Pan Mine in Griqualand West. The appellant, Reid, alleged that De Beers Consolidated Mines allowed water to overflow and flood his claims. The court ultimately dismissed the appeal, ruling that there is no common law duty for a mining company to continue working a claim solely to prevent damage to another claimholder, and that the cessation of work does not inherently constitute negligence or a nuisance.

• The court established that a mining company is not under a common law obligation to continue working a claim simply because stopping would cause damage to a neighbouring claimholder.
• The court determined that the mere cessation of mining work does not amount to negligence or the creation of a nuisance, noting that requiring such liability would force the court to establish an impossible standard for the rate of proper working.
• The court ruled that when a company acquires mining claims, it does so 'cum onere', meaning it assumes the liabilities of its predecessor, including responsibilities to neighbours for the condition of the works taken over.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). REID v DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES (1891 – 1892) 9 SC 333. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Reid-v-De-Beers-Consolidated-Mines.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. REID v DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES (1891 – 1892) 9 SC 333. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Reid-v-De-Beers-Consolidated-Mines.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=REID v DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES (1891 – 1892) 9 SC 333 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Reid-v-De-Beers-Consolidated-Mines.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndreid, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{REID v DE BEERS CONSOLIDATED MINES (1891 – 1892) 9 SC 333}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Reid-v-De-Beers-Consolidated-Mines.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }