GA MASHABELA – A TLB belonging to Twickenham Platinum Mine was allegedly set alight by heartless and unruly vandals on September 3. The incident apparently happened at the mine’s hackney shaft at about 22:00.
The criminals supposedly destroyed and set more than six shacks aflame, these belonging to street vendors of Ditebeleng Village. They sold fruits, vegetables and other food at the mine in trying to make a living for themselves.
When Steelburger/Lydenburg News arrived at the scene the following day, avocados, oranges, road signs and two refrigerators lay scattered at the mine entrance. The informal sellers were also taking some of the destroyed corrugated irons to their homes.
Mss Josephine Pitsi, Aletta Matibidi, Salome Thobejane, Philistas Mahlakoane and Mr Petrus Thobejane were all not sure of their next meal, as they relied on their shops for a living. On their arrival, they were shocked to see their shops destroyed and burnt.
A distressed Thobejane told this newspaper that her eight children survived on the petty cash she made from selling fruits at the mine.
“My husband Petrus is a pensioner, we always hustled to put bread on the table, now it’s going to be a mountain to climb. One of my sons is at tertiary; I don’t know where I will get the money to pay his tuition fees.
“I was dazed when I arrived this morning as I was welcomed by ash. I had already cooked the pap and steak for my customers. Our poles for the saucepans, and other belongings had been stolen. We wish someone could indemnify us,” pleaded the mother.
According to the other traders, their tuck shops were first destroyed on September 2, but they had borrowed cash and fixed them.
The community engagement forum (Cef) secretary Mr Abednico Mashabela condemned the incidents, but still urged the mine to hire locals.
“We don’t see any upliftment in our communities. More than 47 people were retrenched from the mine in January and are still jobless.
We ask Twickenham to fire Khomanani, Khuseleka and Union miners with immediate effect. We want it to employ the sons of the soil. We can’t let our people starve while our land is rich in minerals.”
Cllr Vincent Mphefolo, chairman of Cef, shared Mashabela’s sentiments.“The mine is ignoring our local businessmen. We want them and traditional leaders to be recognised.
“This mine is excluding the landowners, our people are suffering while we have mines,” he said.
Const Elias Setati of Mecklenburg police told this newspaper that no arrests had yet been made. “The cases of malicious damage to property and public violence and arson were reported at our station. Police are currently patrolling the area and the situation looks calm.”
At the time of going to print, general manager of Twickenham, Mr Pieter Ott was unavailable for comment.
