Marula Mine operating again after three-day talks
"They agreed that Marula should resume operations and pledged to ensure that there will be no riots or disruptions caused by the community. The magoshi also agreed to have representatives in the MCDF in order for both parties to have a hand in recruitment at the mine.
BURGERSFORT – Operations are back to normal at Marula Platinum Mine after a week-long closure.
Last week representatives from the Marula Community Development forum (MCDF), tribal authorities (magoshi) of Kgwete, Mashishi and Manyaka, together with the six host communities, engaged in talks to reopen the mine. Marula’s management was also represented at the meetings.
The talks were facilitated by an independent consulting firm (Serage and Associates Incorporated). The three-day talks were completed with the parties agreeing to reopen the mine with immediate effect. Marula resumed operations last Wednesday. Speaking to Steelburger/Lydenburg News after the talks, Noah Serage said they will continue discussions with relevant stakeholders to ensure peace and prosperity at the mine.
“The parties involved held mediated consultative meetings pertaining to the riots at Marula, which had resulted into a shutdown of the business operations at the mine. These affected communities’ leadership structures had agreed to engage into talks in the bid to speedily resolve the underlying issues, since the riots and the mine closure were detrimental to both the communities and the mine.”
Serage said all tribal authorities on whose land the Marula Platinum Mine is operating were invited to the meetings. However some failed to honour the invitation even after numerous follow-ups and persuasion.
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He revealed that the meetings had some heated debates and high emotions, however mutual respect, tolerance and cooperation demonstrated by the community leadership structures was highly commendable.
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“They agreed that Marula should resume operations and pledged to ensure that there will be no riots or disruptions caused by the community. The magoshi also agreed to have representatives in the MCDF in order for both parties to have a hand in recruitment at the mine.
“They agreed to further talks in resolving other outstanding matters that require their collective participation,” the mediator added.
Some of the issues the parties are still to finalise are recruitment at the mine, procurement and the social labour plan.
The mine had been subjected to community protests and riots including blockading of roads between 2017 and 2019.
