Community members want to be part of the mining ecosystem

Mining community members attending the Investing in Mining Indaba are pleading with mining companies to trust them and allow them into the ecosystem.

Various members from different countries have become part of the Indaba this year for the first time.

At the same time, The Stilfontein Solidarity Picket took place a short distance away from where the third day of the Investing in African Mining Indaba is taking place.

They say the Vala Umgodi operation in Stilfontein is the latest manifestation of state-sanctioned violence and demand the legalisation of Artisanal Mining and legal assistance for those arrested among others

Activists, civil society organisations, and grassroots movements from across Cape Town gathered outside the Mining Indaba in unwavering solidarity with the artisanal miners of Stilfontein.

They say if the rehabilitation of mines had been done correctly we wouldn’t see what the government sees as illegal.

Gabriel Klaasen is from the Climate Justice Coalition: “We need to understand that if the government hadn’t failed people if precautions and reforms were put in the place for artisanal mining. If the rehabilitation of mines had been done correctly we wouldn’t see what the government sees as illegal. What we’re seeing is people regardless of whether they are legal or not wanting to make a living for themselves and put food on the table”

Klaasen says South Africa’s long-standing role in the exploitation of its own people and its neighbours cannot be ignored.

Shifting blame

He points a finger at the Minister of Mineral Resources and Petroleum Gwede Mantashe for shifting the blame.

“How dare he? It’s him who was responsible, it was his department that was responsible that was responsible to ensure that mining companies properly rehabilitated the land that closed the mines. The regulations were set up there has been ample time to stick to regulations and certifications for artisanal mining and we need to realise that we are closer to those in Stilfontein than to those in leadership. Those in leadership will sell us out those in Stilfontein will stand with us.”

African Mining Indaba under way in Cape Town

Meanwhile, at the Indaba, community members where mines operate voiced their concerns.

Sonwabo Modimoeng says, “Our call is to say, let them mines come to the table, call us to the table. Let us be in a position where we are able to voice out because the solution that they are seeking, we already have answers to. Because we understand our communities better. We understand the social landscape of our communities, we understand what is needed in our communities.”

Omaojoh Ogedor says, “We realise that the benefit of these minerals is not being credited to the community, a community that is well endowed yet a lot poverty still exists, so there is an irony in that. Why do I have a lot of minerals yet I’m still poor? So, there is a problem somewhere.”

Lawrence Ndango says, “In Kenya today, artisanal and small-scale mining has been legalised and we have a national outfit. The question is? Asmara belongs to artisanal land and most of us are community players. Why are we recognised wig we cannot bargain for ourselves? If we cannot do something for ourselves? So, that’s the question which we need to answer. We answer it by being players in the field doing something for ourselves and when we welcome the large-scale players, we will also be having something to contribute”

The Indaba wraps up on Thursday.