FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mining Affected Communities Reject Minister Mantashe`s Elitism


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                      
Mining Affected Communities Reject Minister Mantashe`s Elitism and exclusion of Mining Affected Communities in defiance of the Pretoria North High Court`s Order.

We have once again taken note of reports in the press of a secret meeting held over the weekend over the 17th and 18th March in some lavish venue in Muldersdrift between the Minister of Minerals, The Department of Mineral Resources, The National Union of Mine Workers and the Chamber of Mines.

We note that this meeting took place despite an order by the Pretoria North High Court which specifically noted that mining communities, and specifically the applicants to the Case in which the Mining Charter was challenged, should be consulted on the “formulation of” the Charter.

It is our understanding of this judgement that the Court has specifically noted that mining affected communities cannot only be consulted at the end of the process but that they should be involved in its formulation.


Our exclusion from this process is not only in counterpoint to the Court`s order, it also comes after our attorneys wrote to both the President and the Minister to engage them on the next processes.

This once again exposes the Presidency who issued a press statement on the 19th of February after the Courts judgement to assure communities that “It is regrettable that there was insufficient consultation on the issue of the postponement. Government will ensure that this matter is corrected in engagement on the Mining Charter going forward.”

In the same statement the President affirmed “its commitment to ensure that communities are integrally involved in consultations not only on the Mining Charter, but on all matters relating to the development of this sector.”
Barely a month after making this public pronouncement the South African Government are back to its old tricks of treating communities like disposable nappies.

“If we are not at the table then it obviously mean that we are on the menu” says community activist for MACUA in Limpopo, Gilbert Moela

While WAMUA leader Mokete Khoda noted that; “this kind of meetings between the Department and other `important` stakeholders without communities present, are exactly the ways that injustices are perpetrated against communities.”

We will not stand for such treatment and we demand an urgent meeting with the Minister to clarify our role in further negotiations on the Charter.

There can be Nothing About Us Without Us.

Further announcements will be made by our attorneys: Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS):
Wandisa Phama
Attorney
011 717 8608 / 078 684 3140
Wandisa.Phama@wits.ac.za  

Editors' notes
·         For more information, please contact Meshack Mbungula,. Mob: +27 (0) 071 383 6019
·         Nester Ndebele: Mob: +27(0) 83 269 5705


ABOUT MACUA

Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) is a co-ordinating body representing and advancing the rights and interests of mine-affected communities across eight provinces of South Africa. The network is made up of 50 community organisations and calls for communities to be granted a greater say in issues that affect their human rights and which they believe is denied to them in current regulations governing the mining sector.

ABOUT WAMUA

Women Affected by Mining United in Action (WAMUA) is an official national platform formed within MACUA with the purpose of advancing the rights and interests of women in mining affected communities. WAMUA aims to advance and support women in mining affected communities to strengthen their participation in community decision making processes and influencing local, provincial and national policy and legislative process in the mining sector.

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