Kwa-Zanele, dying slowly

By Zakhele and Nhlanhla from Breyton

Breyton is a small mining town in Mpumalanga in the Highveld area, it has a population of 12550. Breyton is very close Emerlo and the community from Breyton do thier households in Emerlo.  Most people in Breyton depend on mining activities for employment. Breyton is very cold in winter and extremely hot in Summer.

This small town was once a farming town which was unknown and underdeveloped until coal was discovered. The Mpumalanga Complex of Xstrata Coal South Africa (XCSA) is situated near the town of Breyton, approximately 100km south of Middelburg and 35 km north of Ermelo in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. The Mpumalanga Complex consists of Spitzkop and Tselentis Collieries situated South and North of Breyten respectively. These Collieries  was  100% Xstrata owned until they sold it.

Breyton is a small areas with other problem such as illegal dumping, alcohol abuse is on the rise because of unemployment of youth.Some houses are built on wet land which cost the house owners lot of money to try and block the water.

We are trying to mobilise and educate communities about the negative impact mines, because mines are creating health problems instead of jobs. To find solution to our problems is going to take us a very long time but as long we are together as communities, we will win. The challenge is that most  people they believe that finding employment in the mine.