Finding ways to keep communities alive after mine closures and COVID-19 lockdown restrictions

Monametse Village
Fetakgomo-tubatse Local Municipality
Story by Gilbert Moela
02 May 2020

Like many other mining host communities in South Africa Monametse-Mokgotho Village are amongst communities that relied on Bokoni Platinum Mine for survival. But those good days, when life and business around the rural community relied on and revolved around the Bokoni Platinum Mine, are now in the cruel dustbin of history.

The mine, once the engine of the area’s economy and life in general, is now on Care and Maintenance which has left many families fighting for survival and relying on hand to mouth and social grants. To mitigate the socio-economic consequences of mine closure, Mining Affected Community United in Action (MACUA) together with other mining affected community networks has took it upon themselves to lent a helping hand and close the gap. For the past 4 weeks we have seen MACUA going beyond its call of duty (advocating for socio-economic and environmental rights of Mining Affected Communities) to distribute food parcels to the marginalized mining affected communities. A call which even our government and the mines who have been swindling communities out of the benefits have fail to do.