Emakhazeni. The Emakhazeni News visited the Shanduka Mine in Wonderfontein situated between Arnot Mine and the N4 to Belfast. A number of farm tenants and workers were found wondering if they will ever receive a proper life where the mine has promised to relocate them. Some of the community members claimed that their cemeteries were tempered with without their consent and as a result they cant locate where they buried their family members with possibility that they were mined. We found a number of young people who claim to have been promised skills training and absorption to the mine before its opening almost two year now. The mine is currently building houses to relocate the majority of the people ho are closer to the mine, however mining continues without the people relocated critically challenged by blasting and dust from the mine. The are where the people are been relocated to has no running water or electricity and the property (land) is not registered in the peoples names, making it impossible to own property of their own. Two weeks back some youth were arrested for marching and demanding opportunities in the mine, seriously affecting the relationship between the mine and the community. In our findings, there if no proper or formal mining community structure that is established to facilitate community and mine relations, making it difficult for both the mine and the community to relate effectively.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 12:07:43 +0000