Several mining communities at Moroke outside Burgersfort in Limpopo have marched and protested to demand the re-opening of the Twickenham platinum mine.
The mine has been undergoing care and maintenance for the past eighty years. The mine authorities have accepted the memorandum.
Communities of Phashaskraal, Twickenham, and Magakala say they’re living in poverty and joblessness.
They say the closure of the Twickenham platinum mine has affected their livelihoods. The mine was placed under care and maintenance.
Communities say they were given the hope that it would be opened after two years. “We are not working, and we are many who are not employed. Some of us are single parents. We have children, we have no income, we are reliant on SASSA grants. We are not working, we want the mine to open.”
Community leader, Nkwana Kgakishi says they have long been engaging with the mine authorities but their efforts were in vain. “We are here as the community because it’s been a long time that our mine has been closed. Our communities are starving. Our mine has been closed for too long.”
A mine representative, Masala Mutangwa, has received the memorandum. Mutangwa has promised to respond to community’s grievances in due course. “Since have received your memorandum. We will engage the management of the mine and we will respond back to you. We will come back to you as leaders of the community and give you answers on the issues that you have raised.”
The community members say the closure of the mine has led to the high employment, especially among the youth. They say some have turned into crime due to the situation.
