Mining company leaves North West residents in the lurch

Seven community development projects that a mining company allegedly budgeted R14.3m for have gone uncompleted while the firm goes into liquidation, leaving behind desperate people.

Through its 2018 Social Labour Plan (SLP), Bushveld Vametco Mine in Brits, North West, had promised to build high mast lights, roads, storm water system, sports facility, sport ground and a heritage site among other things for the hosting communities of Rankotea, Mmakau, Mothutlung and Brits. However, these projects – some of which it partnered with Madibeng municipality – have either collapsed or never took off.    

Now the mine, which closed its doors last year, is going through business rescue with a possibility of being sold. It has been operating in the area since 1967.

The mine, among 11 companies that the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) identified to be misleading their hosting communities by making false promises and manipulating their SLPs. 

An SLP is a document that mining companies are required to submit to the department of mineral and petroleum resources as part of their application for a mining right. It contains their commitments and what the firms will do for the development of the communities and workers in the areas in which they operate.

In its SLP for 2018 to 2022, the mine promised to set aside R14.3m for the projects, which include high mast lights in three wards, roads and stormwater in Rankotea, sports facility in Mothutlung, provision of clean water in Rankotea, sports ground in Rankotea, Makau Heritage Site and the Brits town regeneration.

When Sowetan visited Rabokala on the weekend, residents spoke about their ongoing struggle to access water and how the mine’s promises have led nowhere. In Rabokala, three boreholes were dry, forcing residents such as Knox Tlhoele, 60, to pay his neighbour R200 a month to draw water from their borehole.



Chris Gilili, HERMAN MOLOI, Jeanette Chabalala
www.sowetanlive.co.za

Scroll to Top