GOODNESS Ximba's grandson will soon complete his medical studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, thanks to the 66-year-old's lifelong toil at the illegal coal mine at Blaauwbosch in Newcastle.

Ximba has been working at the opencast coal mine since she was "a girl", she told Sowetan. She made facebricks at the mine until she suffered a minor stroke. She now employs young men to work for her.

The bricks are manufactured using coal and sandstone from the illegal mine.

And the fact that her house is among those at high risk due to the illegal mining activities has not deterred Ximba, who lives with some of her seven grandchildren.

"I raised my children with money from the coal mine," the mother of five said.

One of her daughters is a principal at a local school.

Ximba is proud that her daughter and her grandson are educated because of years of back-breaking work at the mine. Her grandson completes his medical studies next year.

"We started the coal mine," she said, although she does not remember the exact year.

Ximba's house has been extended using bricks she made herself, she proudly told Sowetan.

Her house is among five that have been earmarked to be removed by the municipality due to risks posed by the encroaching mine.

"They must build the new house with facebrick, not blocks," Ximba demanded.

She said the five families have asked the municipality to build them houses similar to the ones they have.

Although the mine has marked her life, Ximba complained that it has also become a useful hiding place for petty criminals when they are chased by police.

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