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Meeting between APC president and mining communities in Limpopo collapses

The APC's Themba Godi.
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A meeting between African People’s Convention (APC) President Themba Godi and residents of some mining communities in Sekhukhune in Limpopo has collapsed.

Godi had convened the meeting for communities in the Steelpoort area, which is surrounded by chrome mines. However, some disgruntled residents disrupted the gathering.

The meeting, which was held at Ga-Phasha community hall was attended by residents from various villages. It was aimed at discussing the non-compliance of mining companies towards uplifting communities surrounding the mines.

Trouble started when some residents interrupted Godi’s address and questioned his motives. They demanded to know who had invited him and claimed they were not consulted.

This sparked an argument between two rival groups of residents. Local traditional leaders tried to intervene, but failed and the meeting was abandoned.

Godi has expressed disappointment at how things turned out.

“This reflects the state that our people are in, the inability to unite and to focus on the issues that we have. There are local dynamics around leadership and around access to the mines, which is the basis around which some of the things that have happened here occurred. But what we want to do is to say how do we get our people to unite and to pursue the objective that the wealth that is being mined over there benefits them,” said Godi.

He, however, says this does not deter his efforts and he will return to the area in the future.

“I still want to come because despite what happened, these are our people and we exist to serve them. Where there is misunderstanding we must work to try and bring understanding so that we can unite and ensure that we achieve development.  If you look all over, all the villages that are living next to mines are poor, are dilapidated. The mines are not conforming to the mining charter and unless the communities are organized, stand up and are able to challenge the mines, the wealth there will be mined and they will remain with nothing.”

Meanwhile, one of the locals, Musa Phasha, has shed some light on the leadership squabbles that have divided the communities.

“To be honest with you, the issue here was not Mr Godi. The issue here is the improper leadership that we have around in this area. We have too many structures around this area and I think he is willing to help us, but he will fail because of our rotten attitude,” explained Phasha.

Godi is expected to meet with other communities in the area.

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