[miningmx.com] — AS PLATINUM Australia (PLA) tries to draw a line under
the killing of a mining contractor at its Smokey Hills mine in Sekhukune, Limpopo,
many believe it is only a matter of time before simmering tensions in the area erupt
again and threaten yet more lives.
Kobus Jansen van Rensburg, an employee of PLA’s contractor JIC Mining, was fatally
injured on May 26 when the minibus in which he was travelling was attacked by an
angry mob.
“There have been no further incidents and the police have advised they have made
significant progress in their investigations, resulting in additional arrest warrants
being issued,’ is as much as PLA said about the incident in a production update
issued on Tuesday.
The killing forms part of a number of setbacks for PLA, which has seen its share price
halved this year on the back of Smokey Hills’ non-performance. The company could
well face a cash squeeze over the next few months if Smokey Hills fails to deliver
according to its revenue target.
This is probably the reason why PLA tried to reassure investors in the production
update. The update emphasised that production build-up targets were on track, with
total reef tonnes broken in May the highest in Smokey Hills’ history – despite the
outages due to Jansen van Rensburg’s death and two public holidays during the
month.
The mine has been the scene of ongoing labour unrest since JIC took over as operator
in October 2010, which saw the dismissal of several employees of the previous
contractor, Redpath Mining. Since then, the majority of the workforce took part in two
unprotected strikes. It is some of these former employees – dismissed in the wake of
the illegal strikes – who are being held responsible for Jansen van Rensburg’s death.
Still, to reduce Jansen van Rensburg’s death to a random act of criminality would be
simplistic and ignore the very real probability of future flare-ups.
Interestingly, relatives of Jansen van Rensburg who spoke to Miningmx on the
day following the incident were more critical of mine management’s reluctance to
defuse what they described as an increasingly toxic situation, than of the actual
attackers.
Also, Smokey Hills – close to Burgersfort on the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld
Complex – is not an isolated case.
Many of the mines operating along the Steelpoort Valley and adjacent areas in
Sekhukune have recently seen skirmishes involving either their workforce or the local
community. Acts of public violence have also not been confined to mining operations.
In March, 50 protesters were arrested in Burgersfort after allegedly blocking a road
and setting tyres and a car alight; they demanded to be employed at Xstrata’s
operations in the area. Also, the car and house of Greater Tubatse mayor Mamekoa
Ralepane were burnt down, following earlier protests over poor service delivery in
which the house of another Greater Tubatse councillor was set alight.
The area was also the scene of a landmark Constitutional Court judgment, which
revoked Nkwe Platinum’s rights over two farms after the court found there had not
been sufficient consultation with the community. These rights were subsequently
awarded to the communities, with Nkwe having to play the role of a commercial
partner.
According to a senior manager of a listed company that operates in the area, high
unemployment levels and a lack of service delivery underpin most of the tensions
found in the area.
“At times it can get quite hectic; frustrations are running high,’ he said. “We’ll get
complaints that we do not hire enough local people. We believe we do, but the skills
base is just not good enough for an entire operation.’ He pointed to the fact that
most schools in the area have matric pass rates of less than 50%.
Reality also seldom lives up to initial expectations of the benefits that will flow from
mining in the area.
“Government tells us they are serious about demands for houses, schools and clinics,’
the manager said. “We are also serious about it, but one mining operation cannot
solve the health and medical needs of an entire community.’
Government has also admitted its efforts have fallen short.
Mines Minister Susan Shabangu recently made it clear that
community participation and social labour plans would be a major focus area in the
amendment process of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act.
“Our social labour plans were just not good enough,’ she said in a recent interview.
“The critical issue is the participation of communities that we must structure and
make them feel they are appreciated by the companies.
“We need better understanding of what communities want, and the output targets for
miners should be clear.’
