GA MASHABELA – More than 2 000 community members, mostly youths, gathered at Twickenham mine’s Moopetsi camp to hand over a memorandum of demands.
The protesters say they are fed up with the mine sidelining local communities by hiring outsiders.
They were led by chairman of South African National Civic organisation (Sanco) in Greater Tubatse Municipality, Mr Jackson Tjatji, Community Engagement Frum (Cef) chairman Mr Vincent Mphofelo, Cef secretary Mr Abednico Mashabela and taxi drivers from Druta and Felta taxi associations
According to their memorandum, the locals want the removal of general manager Mr Peter Ott, project manager Mr Allan Northcote and superintendet officer Ms Elsie Macdonald. They also accused the mine of not practicing affirmative action.
“We want the mine to fire 600 employees redeployed from other Anglo American platinum operations. How can the mine hire foreigners in our communities while we are suffering? All the local miners sacked in January must be reinstated. If our demands are not met, then this mine will be closed,” said Abednico Mashabela. Some of their demands include the the full control of the R40 million bursary scheme launched by the previous general manager Mr Masala Mutangwa, which they say was supposed to be uplifting the locals but the mine instead gave it to the provincial government. They also want 26% ownership of the mine.
Jackson Tjatji lambasted the police for allegedly shooting at the protesters on September 16. “It is saddening to see police officers beating and shooting at our grandmothers. There is no gogo who can throw a stone at a police van, so why did you shoot our parents? Criminals are gallivanting in the streets while you do nothing.
“You all have the right to protest and no police officers will fire any bullet, I spoke to Nathi Mthethwa (Police minister) about the cops killing our grannies, this issue will be addressed with immediate effect.”
Tjatji threatened that if the mine did not respond to their demands, they would blockade all the roads coming in and out of Burgersfort.
“I have heard that the local businesses are not given procurement opportunities, we don’t want to see minibuses with Gauteng, North-West and KwaZulu-Natal registrations in our shores, only local taxis must do business at the mines,” he added.
The mine was given seven days to respond to the memorandum. Mr Mitch Hill head of cooperative affairs at Anglo American operations, received the memorandum on behalf of the general manager and assured the crowd that he would deliver it to the relevant people.
