Mine security accused of shooting boy

AN EIGHT-year-old boy was hit by a rubber bullet, allegedly fired by Kimberley Ekapa Mining Joint Venture security, yesterday afternoon in Diamond Park in Greenpoint, where he was injured on his forehead and was transported by ambulance to hospital for medical treatment.

The Kimberley police are investigating three cases of attempted murder after mine security allegedly shot at community members in Greenpoint.

Police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Dimakatso Mooi, said the circumstances surrounding the incidents were being investigated.

“Two people were allegedly shot with rubber bullets and one person was allegedly hit with a petrol bomb on Tuesday. No case has been opened yet for the incident involving the boy. No one has been arrested,” said Mooi.

A community member, Godfrey Pienaar, claimed that mine security had yesterday fired a rubber bullet at a group of children who were walking outside. He said the bullet ricocheted and hit the eight-year-old boy.

Residents in the area also said that mine security was randomly shooting and firing tear gas at them.

“The boy was playing outside when he was shot. We are forced to relieve ourselves in the veld because we do not have any toilets. If we collect firewood, we get shot at.”

Another community member, Priscilla Taiti, said that an elderly man was shot while relieving himself in the veld.

“Our lives are in danger. They don’t care if it’s babies, children, women or the elderly. They point firearms to threaten the children. The community has agreed not to mine there until the dispute over the mining rights has been resolved.”

Elsie Geitjie stated that she was hit by a rubber bullet on her forehead outside her shanty on Tuesday.

“Thankfully my baby, who I was holding in my arms, was not injured,” added Geitjie.

Jasmine Settley said that her one-year-old daughter, who suffers from epilepsy, was traumatised by bullets that are fired into their shanties from “sunrise to sunset”.

“We can’t even sit outside and chat with our neighbours in peace, without having to dodge bullets. Our children want to play outside, we can’t keep them cooped up inside all the time.”

Spokesperson for Kimberley Ekapa Mining Joint Venture, Gert Klopper explained yesterday that security were trying to control illegal activities and trespassing on the land.

“There is a small group of miners who were evicted from the land who are continually trying to mine there. They are joined by groups of up to 90 children in the afternoons, where they attack the security guards and throw stones at them,” said Klopper.

“We have given clear instructions not to shoot any children and all possible precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of the community.

“We have tried to involve the authorities in resolving the situation but we have not achieved any success.”

Klopper pointed out that if a child was hit by a rubber bullet, it was not intentional.

“It is untrue that anyone was hit with intent or that children had firearms pointed at them - it is an attempt to discredit the mine.

“People are becoming impatient, however certain processes need to unfold before this land is made available. Without the necessary mine permits, it amounts to illegal activity.”

Klopper added that they had since prohibited entry to the mine for grazing purposes.

“At one stage we did allow small stock to graze on the land but livestock such as cattle were damaging the environment. The lines were also being blurred, where access was being used in order to mine illegally.”