Anglo Mine’s GM sets the record straight
The heavy police presence on the N11 to Anglo American Platinum's Mogalakwena Mine is in reaction to the protest action last Monday by residents from Ga-Molekane and Ga-Chaba Village
MOKOPANE – Community members from these villages set a truck, transporting platinum concentrate, alight in the early hours of 5 September and they barricaded the entrance to the mine.
The protesters allege the mine is not did not keep its promises to employ residents from local communities and to improve the local area. A total of 11 people were arrested last Monday for public violence and granted R500 bail each. They will again appear before the Mokerong Magistrate’s Court on 5 October.
Samuel Mashishi, Community Leader of Ga-Chaba Village, told Bosveld on Monday: “We, along with numerous other communities surrounding the mine, are planning a march to the mine where we will hand over a memorandum with our grievances.”
Mogalakwena Mine’s General Manager, Richard Cox, gave the following statement regarding the protest.
“Anglo American Platinum’s Mogalakwena Mine values the improved relationship it has developed with the villages neighbouring the mine. This journey has not been an easy one. Together we have been working towards ensuring a common understanding that will serve as a basis to implement sustainable benefits to the community. As Management, we extend a special appreciation to the community members who have shown their commitment to giving us an opportunity to work together. As a business, we will continue to support the villages through our Social and Labour Plan initiatives (SLP). However, it is important to note that like any other business, we are not able to meet all the requests made by the community.
On 5 September, a small group of people started an illegal protest just a few kilometers from the mine. During this incident a truck belonging to the mine was set on fire. Employees of the mine were also threatened.
The mine informed the police of these actions out of concern for the safety of motorists, including local taxis that were ferrying children to school, government and other employees from the community who travel along the road where the protest took place.
While we are grateful that no one was injured during this illegal activity, it must be emphasised that acts of this nature continue to drive investments away from the Mapela and greater Mogalakwena area.
As a company, we condemn any acts of violence and we know the majority of the members of our communities agree with us in that regard.
These acts are driven by persons who are not keen to see the greater benefits to society but only themselves.
These are the same individuals who continue to use counter development tactics by spreading lies to community members including mine employees, claiming to be representatives of the community, falsifying documents and claiming that the mine has requested such persons to do some work for the mine.
We continue to work hard at meeting the needs of the community and it is important to note that the mine has specific set of stakeholders through which programmes, projects and complaints/grievances are communicated and facilitated.
We strive to ensure these stakeholder engagement structures are inclusive and that there is proper governance. These are as follows: The Tribal Authority including the local Headmen as advised by the Tribal Authority; The Mapela Task Team as established through the South African Human Rights Commission; local ward councillors and their respective committees; Mapela Peoples Forum and the Registered Non-Governmental Organisations and Community based organisations.
Individual community members are also encouraged to submit their concerns directly to the mine’s social performance office.
Such concerns should be of individual nature and should by no means be seen as community concerns. An e-mail can be sent to Mogalakwena.issues@angloamerican.com in this regard.
More information about how the grievance/complaints mechanism works will be shared with the community in the near future. Anglo American Platinum’s Mogalakwena mine takes this opportunity to thank you for all the support shown over the past 12 months.”
redaksie.bosvelder@nmgroup.co.za
