Dust control

Moshabi Selowa

Monametse is one of the badly affected Communities by the Bokoni Platinum Mine, its premises are less than 800 miles from the mine premises. The area that is most affected is particularly the main shaft of the mine. The dust has the most impact on communities affected by mines, dust content has the most impact around Monametse village. The dust is blowing randomly as the mine fails to control, which is caused by moving vehicles and trucks and blasting from the opening of the tonal. This is based at Monametsane old mine shaft of UM1 to the middle punt which is still the Bokoni platinum mine shaft currently operating.
Due to the Environmental Risk Management Act (EMA), the community acknowledged the human rights violations in the environment. Community members of Monametse are at high risk of illness due to dust which might cause diseases like shortness of breath, skin aches, and other diseases.

After such a long time that the mine had been closed, people felt starvation and endangerment. Most community members are focused on jobs now. So many contributors are preparing for the full-time operation of the Bokoni Platinum Mine and have hired many community members to silence them, the community members are divided into two. The worst part of the story is the gravel road and blasting from the mine side.

Community members of Monametse face the serious challenge of dust blowing daily, and because we are already divided. Some are based on the Magoshi[Tribal office] and others on the municipality, whereby everyone fights for their members. The Mines’ biggest strategy for easily accessible operation is to allow every party to engage with the mine, the worry is we focus on the same challenges of impacts. The main road running from the mine’s main office to
various mine shafts are not developed, only the road to the middle punt is under careful maintenance of dust control.

The community’s biggest mistake is failing to understand the strategy that Bokoni Platinum is using to crack the unity of the community into divisions, which gives the mine an easy way to operate. Leaders are engaging mine but there are no changes, only empty promises to communities affected by mine.