Despite Implats having budgeted billions of rands for local community development residents of Luka wake up daily to face a sad reality.
While part of their lush land is leased to the platinum group metals-rich Impala Platinum Holdings Limited operations, the Bafokeng community of rural Luka village in the North West, mirror the country’s poverty in a sea of mining wealth. Despite Implats having budgeted billions of rands for local community development – in line with the Mining Charter – residents of Luka daily wake up to poorly maintained dusty streets with potholes, in a neighbourhood with a high level of unemployment.
Hailed as one of SA’s most “important mechanisms” for promoting the much-needed transformation in the mining sector – covering ownership, mine community development, preferential procurement, beneficiation, house and living conditions; human resource development and employment equity – Lesenyeko and other members of the poverty-stricken Luka community, claim not to have reaped any benefits of the Mining Charter.
“I have nothing good to say about the mine, except inhaling smoke during blasting and drilling,” she said.“My shack is shaking and we can hear the sound of blasting. No one has ever bothered to come here and hear about our living conditions. Preferential procurement contained in the Mining Charter – compelling mining houses to empower local black-owned businesses, by ensuring the enlisting of their services – has also become another area of contention between community-based companies and Implats in Luka.
While Mogopodi has praised Sibanye Stillwater and the Royal Bafokeng Platinum for implementing the principles of the Mining Charter by empowering locally-based black-owned businesses, he could not say the same about Impala.
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