Johannesburg - The Anglo Platinum Mogalakwena mine in the Mapela area, outside of Mokopane, Limpopo, has been forced to shut down.
In a statement issued by ActionAid South Africa Mining and Extractives Coordinator, Christopher Rutledge, the organisation said the community of Ga Chaba found blockaded roads leading into the Mogalakwena mine.
ActionAid on Monday said no workers have been able to enter the premises for the day.
It is believed the community has claimed mine management had negotiated in "bad faith, have manipulated community structures to suit their own ends, have not kept its promises to employ and develop the local area and have utilised payments to the tribal authority to sow division among the community," said Rutledge.
Rutledge said a local community leader, Betty Laka, said management from Anglo Platinum approached the community to negotiate clearing roads, however the community refused to be involved in talks unless three activists, which were arrested, were released.
No detail was provided as to why the activists were arrested.
"Laka claims that the Amplats representative then went to speak to the police who were located close by and arranged for the three activists to be released. This raises a number of legal and jurisdictional issues about the lawful conduct of the police in arresting the activists, as well as the authority exercised by Anglo Platinum to negotiate their release," said Rutledge.
The mine management and the community are currently negotiating the way forward under a tree in the community.
LABOUR BUREAU