We visited the community of Ga-Nchabeleng last week with David Van Wyk. D Van Wyk is an expert in mining, and has researched mine operations across Southern Africa region. David is also a lead researcher at Bench Marks Foundation (BMF). BMF is an independent NGO that research the impact of mining in mining communities, and tries to hold the mine companies to account. Years back, there has been talks of mine erection in Ga-nchabeleng but the community members then refused it. This year the talks were ressurected but seems to have collapsed. However we understand that, these mining predators have not given up and are coming back sooner or later. When they return, they must find the community armed with knowledge. Nchabeleng is a village in sekhukhuneland, a region rich of platinum, Iron, Tombstone, etc. After visiting with him to several mining communities where BMF has monitors, we are in a better position and feel confident to advice the community to vehemently reject the mine. Mine operation bring none positive to communities, and in the communities we visited have found people harshly relocated, no betterment of recreation or sports facilities, nothing in place to develop the commuters. Basically nothing they were initially promised by the mine was given to them, except to live in health hazard conditions. We will be organizing a community-wide (in Ga-Nchabeleng) meeting with him in early December to share his knowledge of mining and to advice the community on the cautionary steps they must take as soon as possible. He has discussed with us two ways in which we can defend the community and prevent the mine operation atleast in the immediate future. Whilst there, we took walks, shot Pics and talked to few members of the community. He found the community to be rich in heritage, and adviced that the heritage must be protected too. In fact we found out that, the rock with the foot print of God was taken years ago, propably stolen. #Save my beloved Sekhukhune
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 15:23:51 +0000
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