Chronicle’s facingmining communities

Tebogo Dikale

By: Tebogo Dikale

Chronicle’s Facing Mining Communities

Bauba Resources Limited, a company that operates chrome opencast and underground mines situated in Rustenburg, on farm Kookfontein in the Phokeng vicinity, Bobuampya section. This company was granted rights in September 2016 as Nuco Chrome to operate in an area of about 5 km. It has requirements such as the Social Labour Plan (SLP) in its mining charter.

In their first operations, they employed young people from Bobuampya, as promised in their public participation consultation. The community raised issues of unemployment in the area, not mentioning critical issues such environment and water shortage. In December 2022, we lost one of our family members due to illness, then I went to the funeral on that side. When I got there, I noticed weird holes in the yard and started asking people who stayed around. Fast forward to this year, 2025, June, I visited the place again, this time it was at my uncle’s house.

The house has patches, holes in the yard. The community cemetery is in dire straits, and some of the new graves have already been affected. When you ask the community what the problem is, they all point to Bauba. I then spoke to a gentleman who patched my uncle’s house; his name is Peter Mogapi. He said he feels bad to see the new house having stitches(patches) due to cracks done by mine when they do, they’re business down under. I then asked him if his place was affected too by these cracks, and he said not yet, but he is worried because he doesn’t stay far from my uncle’s, and he is not working. He doesn’t know what he’ll do when he gets affected, either. Social labour plan, that’s what came to my mind.

“Do you know anything about the social labour plan, Rre Mogapi?” “What’s that?” He asked back, alluding that he doesn’t have a clue. Then I explained to him.

Tsholofelo Tause is a young, vibrant girl studying in grade 11. “I was happy to see my brother getting a job in the mine, not knowing what lies ahead. Blasting and dust at times”, she said. “Look, I’m happy my brother and the guys got a job in the mine, but staying here is just horrible and noisy. We’re experiencing cracks in other houses, and sometimes, when in class, we hear these blasts happening around 12:30 pm and 14:30 every week. Crime is escalating. I’m forced to stay here cause my parents stay here, akere (right)”.

I spoke to a senior community member, Rre Malatsi, about the situation. “We have protocols here on how to do things in Phokeng, Akere(right), Makgotla, Khuduthamaga, Dumela Phokeng, Kgotha-kgothe and Royal Bafokeng Administration (RBA) as governing body, akere(right) protocols”. Said Rre Mogapi.

“Look, during July 2024, Dumela Phokeng. I raised a couple of issues affecting our area, and it seems to me these mining bosses are only for profit, not to help communities and hear the problems caused by mines, and I (Rre Malatsi) tried to speak to young people about the situation we’re facing by organising a community meeting. They didn’t come mostly of them; I think that’s how Bauba won them by giving them jobs, not to strike/raise concerns and how their area is getting affected by these”. Concluded Rre Malatsi.

I was intrigued by his knowledge and had a long conversation with him regarding mining and the community. About the employer (Bauba). They came here (Bobuampya) sometime last year, around September, after our Dumela Phokeng in July 2024, after raising issues affecting him personally in his house. “Metsi ke tlhoba boroko”, meaning they’re facing water crises and the holes in their yard too. This is June 2025. You can connect the dots about the attitude of Bauba, said Rre Malatsi. I asked them why they aren’t calling a community meeting instead of going house to house. Their (Bauba) reasoning was weak, and I said to them, “Don’t enter my place”.

“We can go on and on, but I’m old now, as you can see, the baton is upon you, as young lads to fight these mining bosses exploiting us as black people, and nothing is happening, it pains me”.

Mr. Mogapi also mentioned that Dumela Phokeng is coming up on 20th July 2025, and I should attend and encouraged me and others who are activists not to give up. “Look, for me, this is better than where I used to work. In Marikana (Karee). I’m 68 right now. I came home. I’ve worked my entire life in the mines, and these sounds that are happening, I’m used to them. Understand that we’re in the mining city, right?” chuckled Peter.

Awareness campaign around the environment should be a priority:

– Boards

– Warning signs of blasting time

– Water

As the Social Labour Plan (SLP), Bauba mine has its white paper, like most mines in this country, it is failing in this regard. There are no proper sports facilities at the Primary school, nor is there a library. The school yard is in dire straits. We’ll continue to raise these issues until they reach deaf ears.