## 14 Conclusions  
This article used the RF algorithm to classify the land use and land cover in the Emalahleni municipality over three decades (1990-2020). The classifications are settlement,  
Figure 11: Percentage change in mining activities in each decade from 1990 to 2020.  
water, mining area, vegetation, and bare land. It was deduced that approximately 60% of the study area is made up of bare land. The study further revealed an increase in the settlement from 1990, at a growth of 8.4%, and an increase of 15.0% from 2010 to 2020. Vegetation decreased from 14.3% to 6.3%, also from 2010 to 2020. The mining activities showed a steady increase from 2.7% in 1990, 3.6% in 2000, 4.0% in 2010, and 7.90% in 2020. Change detection maps were created to assess the land-cover changes in the study area over the three decades and the results are depicted in Figures 9 and 11, respectively. In the author's opinion, the findings in this study highlight the importance of understanding the changes in land use and vegetation cover in the study area and its impact on the environment, as well as the local community. It is crucial to develop sustainable land management strategies that balance economic development with environmental conservation to ensure the long-term viability of the area. The data presented in this study provides a useful baseline for further research and can inform land-use planning and decision-making processes in Emalahleni. Introduction, M.N.M.C. and I.R.B. ; Methodology, E.V.S.K. and S.A.A.-A. ; Models E.A. ; validation S.A.A.-A. ; original draft preparation, M.N.M.C. and E.V.S.K. ; review and editing, M.N.M.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research received no external funding. Not applicable. The data that support the findings in this study were obtained from satellite images acquired from the Google Earth Engine for four different timestamps: 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. This work was produced in collaboration with researchers from various institutions, namely the University of Johannesburg, Department of Mining Engineering and Mine Surveying; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the Department of Geomatic Engineering; and the University of South Africa, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Science and Technology. We would like to acknowledge the various forms of support provided by all three institutions to enable the completion of this research work. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. The world Bank. Data. 2023. Available online: [[https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MINR.RT.ZS?end=2021&start=1970&view=chart](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MINR.RT.ZS?end=2021&start=1970&view=chart)]([https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MINR.RT.ZS?end=2021&start=1970&view=chart](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MINR.RT.ZS?end=2021&start=1970&view=chart)) (accessed on 17 August 2023). Environmental Monitoring Group. The Social and Environmental Consequences of Coal Mining in South Africa: A Case Study. 2010. Available online: [[https://www.bothednds.org/uploaded_files/uploaldibraryitem/1](https://www.bothednds.org/uploaded_files/uploaldibraryitem/1) case_study_South_Africa_updated.pdf]([https://www.bothednds.org/uploaded_files/uploaldibraryitem/1](https://www.bothednds.org/uploaded_files/uploaldibraryitem/1) case_study_South_Africa_updated.pdf) (accessed on 5 January 2023). * [3] [PERSON]; [PERSON] Harmful mining activities, environmental impacts and effects in the mining communities in South Africa: A critical perspective. _Environ. Econ._**2017**, \(8\), 14-24. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
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