TUKAKGOMO – Local youth say the high rate of poverty and the lack of development in their area are derailing factors in their lives.
More than 300 residents gathered for a meeting on January 20 at Maelebe Primary School when among the topics discussed, was the lack of development in their area, unavailability of job opportunities, lack of bursaries and learnerships from their nearby mines.
The residents also accused their tribal office which is called the Bengwenyama ya maswazi of enriching themselves with their resources and neglecting the community.
They alleged the local chief Kgoshigadi Lamzando Nkosi initiated a trust called Bengwenyama Development Agency, which they said was supposed to serve as a go-between among the residents and the mines.
The agency is alleged to be led by the chief’s close allies and friends. The locals also alleged that the Bengwanyama Community Trust was not democratically elected and never even ones reported back or addressed the community since 2012.
“The Bengwenyamas are ignoring the community and enriching themselves at the expense of us. Bursaries and learnerships are given to outsiders while we suffer,” said one of the local residents.
The locals resolved by electing their own committee called the Tukakgomo Development Forum, its aim is to engage with the local mines in bringing development and jobs to their village.
“We are now doing away with the Bengwenyamas, they are no longer representing us, we are on our own,” said Mr Levy Mabelane, member of the committee.
The 10 members of the committee include Messrs Levy Mabelane, Moses Sithole, Moses Mghayi, Sam Kgaria Frans Molapo, Shane Segale and Mss Reneilwe Mokobane, Lindy Malele, Sello Nkoana, Dzambili Maphanga and Rachel Tshesane.
They will serve as the link between the community and the nearby mines Lannex, Tweefontein, Doornbosch, Tubatse, and Glencore’s Thorncliff and Helena mines.The committee said they would also seek help and ideas from the Greater Tubatse Municipality as they lost faith in their traditional leaders. They believe working with the municipality will help them to get their demands from local mines.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News failed to obtained a comment from the Bengwenyamas.
