Residents say NO to another coal mine in Newcastle
A routine ward meeting descended into a heated confrontation between the residents and Singo Consulting, an environmental assessment business, over an application to obtain prospecting rights for a coalmine.
Representatives of Singo Consulting were promptly told to leave the ward 2 meeting as they prepared to make a presentation to residents of the ward on the proposed mine as part of fulfilling their public participation requirements.
Tempers ran high as residents voiced their displeasure at the mine ‘hijacking a ward 2 meeting and not following due process to conduct a proper public participation meeting,’ Singo Consulting were promptly told to leave the ward 2 meeting as they prepared to make a presentation to residents of the ward on the proposed mine as part of fulfilling their public participation requirements.
Singo Consulting has been appointed by Slydeb to prospect and drill to determine the nature of the coal deposits.
A zoned map provided by Singo clearly shows that the mining area will run across farms located in Signal Hill (Parksville, Inniskilling, and Highton) and adjacent to residential including Schuinhoogte, Signal Hill, and Sunny Ridge.
Residents have pointed out that the BID document indicates, perhaps deceptively, that the prospecting activity is approximately 35 km south of Dannhauser and 68 km west of Phumelela.
Residents were outraged that Slydeb, through Singo Consulting, had not embarked on a thorough public involvement procedure that would have consulted the residents of Sunnyridge, Schuinhoogte, and Signal Hill as well as the farm owners of the impacted areas.
For the full story, pick up a copy of this week’s Newcastle Advertiser.
The news provided to you in this link has been investigated and compiled by the editorial staff of the Newcastle Advertiser, a sold newspaper distributed in the Newcastle area. Please follow us on Youtube and feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. For more local news, visit our webpage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and request an add on our WhatsApp (082 874 5550).
