Mineral Resources to address conflicts in mining communities

The Director-General of the Department of Mineral Resources, Advocate Thabo Mokoena, says they are working at ending conflicts between mining communities and companies across the country.

Mokoena was addressing residents of various villages in Mapela near Mokopane in Limpopo.

The residents are concerned that operations at Ivanplats mine are encroaching on their land.

Mokoena was due to inspect the mine but abandoned the inspection because of a disagreement between mine management and officials from the department.

“We are committed as the department to make sure that where there’s a mining we come in if there’s an instability we must see how can we intervene, especially in those areas where we have powers to intervene as the Department of Mineral Resources so I’m optimistic that the issue of Ivanplats and the community here it will be amicably resolved”, states Mokoena.