Statement: R2K stands with Amadiba Crisis Committee!
The Right2Know Campaign strongly supports the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) in their fight against the proposed mining of the coastal sand dunes at Xolobeni on the Wild Coast, Eastern Cape.
On Monday, 23 April at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, the ACC will be challenging the process by which the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) issues mining rights. According to the ACC, in terms of existing legislation “DMR cannot issue a mining right without the consent of the affected community”.
The ACC has been opposing the proposed mining since around 2007. Up to now this resistance has resulted in the deaths of two community leaders who were strongly opposing this proposed “development”. The assassination of ACC chairperson, Sikhosiphi “Bazooka” Rhadebe brought the Xolobeni struggle to the world’s attention but to date no one has been arrested or convicted for this murder. We demand justice!
As R2K we stand with the ACC and have called on the Minister of Mineral Resources to withdraw the Mineral Resources & Commodities company’s mining licence application. The company has recently handed over its operations in Xolobeni to its SA subsidiary – Transworld – alongside its BEE partner XOLCO. The government must listen to the community that opposes the mining project, as they feel that this project will destroy their livelihoods and their environment.
The Australian company that applied for the mining licence, MRC Tormin has a reputation of human rights abuses. In 2015, workers at the Vredendal MSR Tormin mine were up in arms fighting for their rights as the company decided to cut their wages without notice. The company’s executive chairman, Mark Caruso, threatened to “rain down vengeance” on anybody who opposed him. This is another reason why we called on the Australian Government to initiate an inquiry into MRC activities in South Africa. This unscrupulous company must be stopped from tearing communities apart.
R2K in Gauteng will also be part of the #Right2SayNO campaign mass action on the 24th of April outside the North Gauteng High Court from 9h30am until 13h00pm. The mass gathering will be attended by people from mining-affected communities from all over the country who will show their support for the ACC court case and demand their Right to Say ‘NO!’.
We cannot allow human rights violations and senseless attacks in the name of development.
#OngaziMakazi #Right2SayNO #StopWildCoastMining
For more information contact:
Bongani Xezwi, R2K Outreach Organiser: 082 525 3949
Eunice Manzini, R2K Gauteng Coordinator: 078 482 2178
