Police brutality in the mining sector

Moshabi Selowa

Bokoni platinum mine is the one close to the affected community of Monametse VIllage. Monametse is located in the Northeast part of FetakgomoTubatse municipality under ward 34.

The mine announced that African Rainbow Minerals opened the operation at Atok, due to investment from ARM,  Bokoni platinum mine opened another shaft called open cast on top of the mountain of Monametse on a farm called  Brakfontein which is under Chief D.A Selepe and Headman Makgopa and Headman Mosamedi.

Bokoni platinum mine operation affects all Monametse residents irrespective of any part, the mine has not yet received mining documents but they now operate illegally. The community faces the challenge of environmental impact which promotes climate change, due to uncontrollable dust blowing on their road to open cast resulting in air pollution. The land for our livestock particularly cattle is limited, and livestock safety is in danger.

The big machine of satanic and stocks now distress livestock mentally and emotionally. Community members feel unsafe and scared of the flats during the rainy season, hence lot of traditional healing materials get wasted, and as part of environmental Risk Management violence. The small rivers are at high risk of survival, and all pioneers are destroyed.

Mine’s strategy of sharing always small opportunities is the case, too many community leaders turned to opportunists and that is misleading the upcoming future leadership, who think that is a matter of leadership. The worst part of the story is everyone is forced to be in leadership because whoever becomes a leader should snoop on community benefits and turn them into individuals. The community leaders still making mistakes of being transformed. The worst part in terms of information is good and factual. The only way to defeat the mining sector is to understand that No to mining should be No to all leaders.