AFTERMATH OF THE DISASTER
Thabo Ishmael Choledi
When I remember what happened in our town last year, I still feel heart broken because it’s us who now have to face the consequences of that trauma. People lost their lives and their families are still clueless about what is going to happen next. They can’t determine their lives and how to move forward, who has to carry the blame and who to forgive for atonement and healing. As the community we still want to know about the deaths and injuries inflicted by the tailing disaster, and the woman whose remains are yet to be recovered.
As the community of Jagersfontein we want to see people being compensated for their losses it’s a pain and trauma for the people on daily basis. As a witness of the disaster, I have seen how the husband of the victim has transformed into an alcoholic overnight. His son was given a job by the new mine boss to silence him.
We also have a case of a young boy who was run over by truck that belongs to the mine, a case was opened and dismissed without the family being consulted. As a community monitor of the Benchmarks Foundation, together with the local branch of the Action SA we had to intervene. A contribution of R60 000 was paid but only towards the funeral arrangements and not compensation. This is a clear indication that the mine is a law unto themselves and they cannot be prosecuted by any court of law. This can be corroborated by the number of cases that were opened against the mine and were all dismissed without seeing a day in court.
As a former mining employee myself, I’m a living testimony of the unfair labour practice and unfair dismissal. This is orchestrated by the CCMA in favour of the employer against employees after the disaster. I followed all the procedures after my dismissal and other employees, I appealed my case and the office of the CCMA could not provide me with answers. That’s when I came to the conclusion that these people are in cahoots with the employers.
I therefore urge all the relevant authorities to intervene in the Jagersfontein disaster that came as a result of state capture project. We as the whistle blowers are still facing victimisation and threatened on daily basis. People are facing a risk of getting killed for talking truth to power, unlike what we see and hear on the print and electronic media. Since we joined the monitoring school of the Benchmarks foundation we’re perceived as threats in the community and ostracised in some sections. The disaster outbreak exposed what has been happening for a long time with no one to blow the whistle. Our appeal is for all organs of civil society to assist in exposing the human rights violations committed by both government and the mining companies. Currently the sludge is being pumped into the pit and we’re worried about the environmental impact of that action
