Communty protesting for their rights as mining hosts

Khanyisile Matsaba

On Tuesday 25th of June 2024, the community of Nyakallong protested against Harmony Shaft 1 for compensation of the people living in Riverside, a section behind Voelpan. They also want the mine to hire more people from Nyakallong with or without experience, as some are freshly from tertiary.

The strike was supposed to be peaceful, yet the mine called the police on the community and filed for a protection order. The community sat in front of the gates to stop the mine workers from entering and the mine had securities by the gates.

Now the question is, will the mine ever hear the community’s cries? Do they see the damage they caused the community? Will they ever take accountability or will they always involve the police?

The action that the mine took by issuing a protection order led other surrounding communities to come and support yet another protest which took place from the 3rd of July 2024 till the 5th of July 2024 at Joel Shaft, Masimong Harmony, and Harmony Shaft.