Irate residents lock mine’s gates
Mr Takutaku Malepe, told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that the mine had been operating in their area for decades without uplifting the communities."They tried building us schools but ended up leaving without completing the projects. This mine is using us. "They will mine and leave the communities in poverty," he said.
PENGE – Operations have been suspended at Imerys’ Annesley Andalusite Mine (Ga Mosela) for more than a week. This comes after residents locked the gates on June 3, preventing the miners from entering the premises.
Nearby communities of Maakubu, Malepe, Sekopung, Mankele and Maretlwaneng, led by the Roka Malepe traditional authority, said they were fed up with the mine not adhering to the social-labour plans.
Spokesman of the tribal council,
Mr Takutaku Malepe, told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that the mine had been operating in their area for decades without uplifting the communities.”They tried building us schools but ended up leaving without completing the projects. This mine is using us. “They will mine and leave the communities in poverty,” he said.
Malepe said only five per cent of workers employed at Annesley were from the surrounding villages.
“Come and visit the mine on a normal working day and all you will see are people from different provinces and towns. We don’t even get business opportunities here.”
“We are shutting down this mine. When the owners are ready to communicate with us, that is when we will open the gates,”said one of the community representatives, Mr Ndala Madire.Mine manger, Mr Vusi Maseko, directed all the questions to Imerys’ spokesman,
Mr Xolisa Mvinjelwa.”We are aware of this protest by the communities. “This has nothing to do with the mine not adhering to the social-labour plan or not providing work opportunities. It is just a criminal element,” he said.
Mvinjelwa said more questions should be forwarded to Maseko, whose phone was switched off after Steelburger/Lydenburg News tried calling him on several occasions.
On Wednesday the gates remained locked, with a strong security personnel stationed at it. The protesters, who are mostly pensioners, were still roaming outside the mine peacefully.
They vowed to remain at the entrance until management addressed them.
At the time of going to print no properties were damaged.
Annesley Mine is owned by French-based industrial-minerals company Imerys, through its South African subsidiary Imerys Mining and is affiliated to Rhino Minerals.
The mine is one of the oldest in Tubatse.
