Mpumalanga community accuse mining company of forceful evictions

Residents of Mankele Village near Sudwala in Mpumalanga are accusing a mining company known as Maruru of terrorising them.

They allege the company has forcefully grabbed a gold mine plant on a farm they successfully claimed in 2004.

They also allege that Maruru evicted another mining company that has a valid lease agreement with the community to utilise the plant.

Some community members say they are now living in fear.

“We are very concerned with the company that is entering our land without talking to us because they vandalize near our graves and our stream and also our farm. They are threatening us. They are shooting every day and we can’t even go free because they are searching us even if we go somewhere.”

“Then now we’ve got a disturbance out of Omaruru Company. The company don’t have any agreement but they are here in our land. They just come in our land and disturb the business of the company that has been given the right to use the plant.”