The frustrated community of Wonderfontein at the farm called (Johan Steel)

Community alerts, Lorraine Kakaza, Carolina, Mpumalanga, 2018/05/27

The frustrated community of Wonderfontein at the farm called (Johan Steel)

Today the community of Wonderfontein had their first meeting with the mine Manager and the general manager Teis,Mark and Pelay eversince the mine started to operated 5years back they have not come to the community the name of the mine changes now and then is Umsimbithi,Umcebo ,Shanduka or i can say it’s Glencore

Community raised dust issue,cracked house, dying of live stock ,moving of the machines, children get late to go to school due to the transnet train and their health

Babu Mahlangu was concerned tha he has lost 4 goats two weeks back and when he check what makes his livestock die is that inside the stomach it was black that is the dust.

What kind of dust ?
Were does it come from?

– It comes from the mine and the grass has change it’s colour to black and it is believed that is the cause of dying livestock .

The community felt as if they are treated like animals and that’s true no one come to offer us medical treatment for the health .

We need dust solution .

Pelay the general manager responded by saying they are not sure about the dying of livestock they need to call them immediately to take samples the community must call them, during winter they can provide grass for the livestock they can provide that’s their offer from the mine.

Employment most of the youth are not working 99.9 percent from the past 5 years the mine has been operating they have hired one person so what about the rest of the community .The mine has build a station,plant they never hired anyone.

Qualifications
Community are being told about qualifications where they can get them, the mine must provide then with training.

Community concern is that there are tenders people who are being hired are from Belfast,Carolina , middelburg there are many tenders of Car Wash,Laundry and buildings why can’t they develop old women who can’t get pension grants.

Tender /opportunities
*In June last year the created a web for everyone who want to apply can apply.
*The mine assist people to start business they have these structures in place they have enterprise
* THE plant is run by Umcebo
*The mine is run by Andrew Mine
*THE train is not controlled by the mine
THEY Will try to assist the community to have opportunities.

Train /Railway
They are focusing on children ever since there was an incident of the child who got injured .
After they have saw the story of the child on the blog and the mine did the follow up with the Department of Education about the safe of children so the school bus must pick children on the main road not to cross the railway Mr Pelay he is saying he can share the letters with the community they got nothing to hide . Now he’s communication with Mr Mabhena from the Department of Education and they are saying the Department of public work will deal with the railway issue because the community concern they don’t want any fatality .

TRAINS WILL BE REQUESTED TO WORK DURING THE DAY AS THE COMMUNITY OF JOHAN STEEL CAN’T SLEEP AT NIGHT DUE TO THE NOISE ..

If the mine continues like this the community will stop the operation because there is no equality at all .

There is a community called Skofane community did got hired at the mine with Grade 9 without matric certificates or any qualifications. They hired 39 household .And they are 10 farms that are not affected and the mine provides them with everything,

Mark from the mine said they are aware of the noise and blasting they agree that there is no siren and they are still investigating or finding ways on how to control the noise issue
, they’ll come back to the community and blasting will always take place they will be using technology trying to have less noise & small vibration they are aware that they don’t have sirens and the community don’t know when blasting is taking place .

I ask on yes you are investing on the new investment what about the damages you have already caused , who’s going to pay?
Their respond was technology develop over time and they have decided that Wonderfontein will be the testing side like they did at Middelburg mine at Tukulogo and Umhluzi they have put sirens and alarm when they are about to blast.

CYZOGRAPH – will be used in terms of the readings of noise and the gorvernment provides standards and the mine is complying

The community must decide on what system they want as a warning sign for the blasting

-Is it Sms system / the siren

The community were furious about signing the register because at the end of the day it benefit the mine…

The meeting took the whole day the mine boss even went to see some of the cracked houses, my wish is to see all affected community being vocal .
By Lorraine Kakaza