Low’s Creek protestors appear in court

The management of Vantage Goldfield has accused Barberton Times of making “a lot of noise” about the arrest of seven protesters at Low’s Creek on October 8.

The mine, which operates from Shiyalongubo through Louieville in the Low’s Creek area, used the platform of its newsletter to launch its attack on this publication.

The newsletter was published after an article that was published on the front page of Barberton Times edition of October 15 with headlines: Rioters arrested for public violence.

The article was about a protest that was held by the residents of the area where they were complaining about, among other, the failure about the mine to employ locals, cracks in their houses which they claim were caused when the mine conduct blasts, dust created by mine trucks conducting their operations and that the mine was not doing anything as part of its corporate social investment responsibility.

Following the strike that led to the arrest of seven local residents and where a production was severe affected in the mine, the General manager of Vantage Goldfields mines, Mike Begg, was afforded an opportunity to comment on the allegations levelled against the mine but couldn’t be reached.

The mine management has since, however, published a newsletter that was distributed to the local communities and employees where they refuted all the allegations that were levelled against them by the protesters in the Barberton Times edition.

According to the mine management, they felt it was appropriate that they respond in their newsletter. “The local newspaper (Barberton Times) made a lot of noise about the people being arrested. Any mass action is governed by specific legislation and when people want to protest they have to follow the rules,” said the mine management in their newsletter.

They further claimed that their company was very active in the community and was always attempting to assist the community and the actions of blocking the road (during the protest on October 8) had a negative effect in their production.

“We therefore request the community to rather come and talk in order to resolve the problems before breaking the law and causing unnecessary problems for the mine as well as themselves,” said the management.

On the allegations that the mine fails to employ locals, the management says 70 per cent of their workforce was sourced from the local community. “This means that when people apply for work, they give their address in the local community as described. If they later move to Barberton or Matsulu, they are still recognized as locals because they made the choice to enhance their lifestyles”.

They added that they were also investigating allegations that blasting was damaging their houses. “Numerous houses have been visited and an expert report has been requested from the manufactures of the explosives. The dusts created by the trucks are being treated daily. The mine has procured the service of a water truck to water the road daily. This is a public road and this should be done by the local government structures. However, they do not have the capacity therefore the company stepped in and is watering the road,” said the management.

The management says they were also contributing as part of their corporate social investment responsibility to the community. These include the construction of a library and a classroom at Sinqobile Primary School, donating food to the Combined Louieville High School for their matric camp, donating to the KaLomshiyo Traditional Council annual ummemo ceremony, and accommodating the Louieville employees with transport among others.

Meanwhile, the case against the seven protestors who were arrested was postponed to December 4.

The seven – Mable Mngomezulu (30), Flora Zitha (59), Velly Ndlovu (33), Siyabonga Mazibuko (24), Collen Nkosi (28) and Dumi Mashele (28), appeared before the Low’s Creek Periodical Court last Thursday, November 13.

They are facing charges of instigating public violence and intimidating of police officers.

Their appearance at Low’s Creek Periodical Court was a second one following their first appearance they made at the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on October 9. They are all out on R1 000 bail each pending their next court appearance on December 4.