Pondoland communities object to Aussie mine

By Guy Rogers

TWO communities living next to the site of the proposed Australian ilmenite mine in northern Pondoland have filed a complaint about the project with the Human Rights Commission.

Social worker Jon Clarke, representing the Sigidi and Mtentu communities with prominent human rights lawyer Richard Spoor, said yesterday the complaints centred on two fundamental rights which were being violated by the developer, Mineral Resource Commodities (MRC).

The communities charge that the mining company is violating their “right to have their environment protected for current and future generations”, and their “right to information relevant to the exercise of protection of rights”.

The environment right relates to the communities‘ belief that mining will degrade their natural environment and diminish its potential to support them.

They say the information right is being violated because the respected community leaders now heading Xolco, the community shareholder in the project, are being ignored or supplied only with generalised promises by MRC.

Port Elizabeth HRC provincial manager Zinthle Popo confirmed last night that he had received the complaint through Clarke. He said he was now aiming to talk directly to the communities and was hoping to travel to the area in May.