DMR aims for 'peace, stability' in Xolobeni

The Department of Mineral Resources says it is committed to engaging with residents regarding the Xolobeni mining and platinum project.File Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi

The Department of Mineral Resources says it is committed to engaging with residents regarding the Xolobeni mining and platinum project.File Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi

Published Dec 1, 2016

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Johannesburg - The department of Mineral Resources (DMR) said on Wednesday it was committed to engaging all stakeholders affected by the Xolobeni mining and titanium project amid tensions that have divided the Eastern Cape village for years.

The DMR statement comes a week after allegations by anti-mining lobby group the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) that it had pushed for mining in Xolobeni at a meeting held at the Wild Coast Sun near the village.

“The DMR will continue to engage with all stakeholders and pleads with them to support the function of the task team as this will bring peace and stability in Xolobeni,” the department said.

The department, police and local traditional leaders as well as the community formed a Xolobeni task team aimed at promoting peace and stability in the community.

Read also:  Xolobeni split over mine in 'a land of plenty'

The meeting, held last week, was led by the Xolobeni task team and focused on mapping a way forward on police investigations into violence and the 18 month moratorium on mining issued by Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane in September.

Zwane froze an application by Transworld Energy and Mineral Resources to mine

titanium in the area and also prevented any further applications for mining.

One of the reasons Zwane gave for the moratorium was the “significant social disintegration and highly volatile nature of the current situation in the area”.

”However, community members last week walked out of the meeting, which also focused on the police on investigations on the violence that erupted in the community.”

The violence which has wrecked the community was linked to the brutal killing of anti-mining activist Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe in March.

Loggerheads

The ACC, which is fighting mining on fears of losing their land, has been at loggerheads with the department over the titanium mine. It said last week that 15 community leaders had walked out of the meeting.

“The DMR wants to have a committee to bulldoze a process that can end in mining of our land, no matter the bloodshed. DMR wants a house without foundation. As ACC we will not be a part of that,” it said.

It also charged that the moratorium was not in effect and that DMR officials had refused to answer repeated questions on the matter.

The ACC also alleged that last week’s meeting was similar to a meeting held in July that ended in chaos when Deputy Police Minister Maggie Sotyu and Deputy Mineral Resources Minister Godfrey Oliphant promoted the mining application instead of engaging in how to stop violent attacks against the coastal Amadiba community.

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