Locals’ employment at mine not set in stone
Speculation has created confusion among residents as they believe that they will get preference and are entitled to employment.
LYDENBURG – The community of Mashishing has been living in the hope of the Everest Platinum Mine opening soon. Speculation has created confusion among residents as they believe that they will get preference and are entitled to employment.
For the past week the Mashishing Civic Coalition has held meetings, saying the mine will open soon and alleging that residents will be employed by the mining giant, Aquarius Platinum Limited.
According to one leader of the coalition, Mr Joel Ledwaba, it then decided to elect a committee to represent it. “We have decided that when the Everest mine starts operating, we don’t want the municipality to represent us and we don’t want it to be involved.”
Mr Phillip Phetla, the chairman of the communal property association for Bakone ba Phetla, says he heard about the meetings taking place in Mashishing Community Hall.
“We decided to send community members to go and listen, but not participate,” said Phetla.
“We were surprised when we heard what had been said there because when the mine starts operating, we will be the first to be informed.”
Aquarius Platinum Limited said the opening of Everest mine depended on improved metal prices.
Ms Janet Whitaker, investor relations at Aquarius Platinum Ltd (AQPSA), said they were not sure when the platinum price would rise sufficiently to warrant further investment.
The Mashishing Civic Coalition said if it did not do things according to plan and work with the local municipality, it would cause chaos in the adjacent areas.
“We will block all the roads leading to it and we will declare Thaba Chweu Municipality ungovernable,” Ledwaba threatened.
Whitaker said that Aquarius would work with the relevant regulatory and local government offices as required by law.
Thaba Chweu mayor, Cllr Michael Ncongwane, said that if the residents decided to block the road, they would be the only ones, to suffer.
“What if the mines decide that they will not employ people from Mashishing because of the threats they are making? The public must remember that if they decide to employ only people residing in other areas, local businesses will suffer and at the end of the day they will also be affected,” he added.
“The community members of Bakone ba Phetla were told they’d take preference for working in the mine,” said Phetla. Whitaker said that AQPSA had an existing relationship with the community close to the mine and it liaised periodically.
