Communities march for SLPs from the mines

Tshepo Maredi

26/04/2022

 

Theunissen  one of the richest towns in Lejweleputswa in terms of the minerals. But yet one of the poorest in the same region. With no less than four mines in the area one could easily assume that Theunissen would like the likes of Sandton in the Gauteng province.

 

Community members decided to challenge the status quo by marching against both Sibanye Stillwaters and Harmony Joel gold mine. The bone of contagion of the march was again the social labour plan. The community of Masilo has been for the longest time complain about how SLP is conducted by both the municipality and mines. In the past the municipality has relinquish its powers to the mine in terms of choosing when and how to active projects that are meant to help the community.  In 2021 the community of Masilo had to stop buses of both Sibanye and Harmony Joel from collecting workforce because they were not satisfied with how arrogant those mines have been throughout the years.

 

The fact that municipality didn’t endorse the people’s march didn’t sit well the masses as they said municipality was seen as sleeping with the mining houses against the community. At the SLP talks community decided to chase away representatives of Sibanye because of the attitude they displayed. They were viewed as arrogance and for that they were told to go and fix their attitudes.

 

The community is awaiting their SLP negotiations and we shall wait to see if things will improve.