JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – About 1 500 members of the Rustenburg community are marching to the Chamber of Mines’ (CoM's) offices, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday to hand over a memorandum of demands.
“We are marching as a community to say that the mines in the platinum belt are not delivering what they have promised in terms of procurement opportunities, employment and social and labour plans,” community leader Godfrey Masuge told Mining Weekly Online.
He added that 4 000 people would march to the Department of Mineral Resources’ (DMR’s) offices on Wednesday, to protest the granting of mining licences to companies that Masuge believes are not doing enough to benefit their surrounding communities.
“We want to see the mines working with communities, ensuring that local communities which surround the mines are well developed when it comes to sanitation, infrastructure and procurement, and we want business opportunities,” Masuge said.
He added that in areas where the community lives, mines have been closed in recent years, resulting in job losses.
CoM spokesperson Memory Johnston confirmed to Mining Weekly Online that an application to march had been received, but that the memorandum had not yet been delivered.