MISCARRIAGES among female artisanal miners and others losing eyes, fingers and legs as a result of alleged police and mine security brutality, as well as the demand for land, were just some of the reasons why hundreds of artisanal miners and landless people took to the streets of Kimberley yesterday.
This peaceful march included artisanal miners from Greenpoint, Samaria and Hull Street as well as members of the Kimberley Informal Settlers.
The marchers handed over memorandums at the Premier’s Office, the Department of Mineral Affairs and the SAPS.
The miners also wanted to know why the police and mine security used “live ammunition” to disperse them.
“Our people have lost eyes and fingers while two pregnant women have suffered miscarriages after being beaten by mine security. A man lost his leg after being run over by a mine vehicle. Our children have been shot and have had to undergo surgery. The use of live ammunition needs to be investigated urgently.”
One of the demands is for more land for the miners, but as the Greenpoint miners’ representative, Peter Renoster, pointed out, “not just any land, but land which has minerals”.
“When we were part of the Batho Pele agreement we had access to 387 hectares of land. Now we only have 100 hectares to mine on and it is non-mineral bearing.”
Renoster added that the miners also wanted to know why, for many years, KEM-JV had allegedly mined the land without a permit.
“They only got a permit last year. KEM-JV also has to answer why they are hiring people to work their mines from outside of the Province. Health and safety is another issue which needs to be addressed as the mine is so close to the houses in Greenpoint.
“It is also time that we are taken seriously.”
The Kimberley Artisanal Miners’ Association is also demanding that a provincial task team be established to investigate all outstanding cases against seven of its members.
“If there is no intervention between now and when they have to appear in court next week Thursday, we will definitely be taking to the streets again,” the association’s spokesperson, Pontsho Mocwana, said.
The miners are also demanding that the artisanal mining committee be reviewed and dissolved. “A new committee must be established. We also want Advocate Kapache and Michelle Botha removed from the committee with immediate effect.”
They further said that a provincial artisanal mining committee should be established with additional stakeholders.
“All existing agreements must be reviewed and a new inclusive agreement be drawn up. We further demand that a stakeholders meeting takes place within seven working days to discuss issues relating to artisanal mining in the Sol Plaatje area.”
The miners are also calling for a review and freezing of permits granted to Batho Pele and Godemoed. “All co-operatives must be retracted from all mining sites until an inclusive committee has been established.”
Informal settlers meanwhile called for all unoccupied land to be given to residents. “How many residents have to die before they get their own homes? One such person was Lincoln Moloko who died putting up his structure in Rhythm City just before he realised his dream of finally owning his own home,” Kagiso Arries, a committee member of the Kimberley Informal Settlers told representatives from the Premier’s Office.
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“We have also been slapped with a court order to vacate the unused land behind St Boniface High School. We should not be defending this court order. Government and the Sol Plaatje Municipality should be the ones standing in court on our behalf as we should have been given land years ago to erect structures. It is also as a result of a ward councillor that we occupied the land, which is why the Sol Plaatje Municipality has to take responsibility,” Arries said.
He went on to say that they have come to the realisation that land belonging to the Sol Plaatje Municipality has been used to only benefit certain individuals.
“Families of 10 are forced to stay in two-roomed houses. Children are forced out of the house just to give their mothers and sisters some privacy. Since the beginning of democracy our people are still living in appalling conditions. That is why we as a community have decided to stand up and take steps against this ill-treatment.”
Arries also demanded an end to the bucket system. “We all know this system doesn’t work. Our people are constantly being treated for infections they contracted from the buckets.”
Community members also called for land to be released to them. “We also need to do away with racial classification when it comes to land. The government we voted for, however, is treating us just like the apartheid government. We want houses equal to what the white person has,” a community member said.
The MEC for Social Development, Martha Bartlett, received the marchers’ memorandum on behalf of Premier Dr Zamani Saul.
She indicated that Moloko’s family would be visited by representatives from the provincial government. “Our deepest sympathy to the Moloko family. We were not aware of this incident.”
Bartlett said she would ensure that Saul received all the memorandums. “I know he will respond. Today’s march also indicates that you trust your government as you came in peace.”