Mining company leaves North West residents in the lurch

Seven community development projects that a mining company allegedly budgeted R14.3m for have gone uncompleted while the firm goes into liquidation, leaving behind desperate people.

Through its 2018 Social Labour Plan (SLP), Bushveld Vametco Mine in Brits, North West, had promised to build high mast lights, roads, storm water system, sports facility, sport ground and a heritage site among other things for the hosting communities of Rankotea, Mmakau, Mothutlung and Brits. However, these projects – some of which it partnered with Madibeng municipality – have either collapsed or never took off.    

Now the mine, which closed its doors last year, is going through business rescue with a possibility of being sold. It has been operating in the area since 1967.

The mine, among 11 companies that the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) identified to be misleading their hosting communities by making false promises and manipulating their SLPs. 

An SLP is a document that mining companies are required to submit to the department of mineral and petroleum resources as part of their application for a mining right. It contains their commitments and what the firms will do for the development of the communities and workers in the areas in which they operate.

In its SLP for 2018 to 2022, the mine promised to set aside R14.3m for the projects, which include high mast lights in three wards, roads and stormwater in Rankotea, sports facility in Mothutlung, provision of clean water in Rankotea, sports ground in Rankotea, Makau Heritage Site and the Brits town regeneration.

When Sowetan visited Rabokala on the weekend, residents spoke about their ongoing struggle to access water and how the mine’s promises have led nowhere. In Rabokala, three boreholes were dry, forcing residents such as Knox Tlhoele, 60, to pay his neighbour R200 a month to draw water from their borehole.

“I have had this arrangement with my neighbour for two years, but I do not always have the R200. I am a pensioner and survive on piece jobs,” said Tlhoele.

Some residents were paying R50 to access water from other people who own boreholes.

The sports facility was never completed and the boundary fence has collapsed, while the change rooms have been burnt and vandalised. The buildings have overgrown bushes and are now hideouts for criminals, according to the community. 

“Young people use the place to do drugs,” said Lesego Monkwe, another resident.

The Rankotea Water Provision Project, which was budgeted for R2m, was never completed.

In their SLP document, Vametco acknowledged the water issues in Rankotea and committed to improving the community's living conditions by installing boreholes, steel tank reservoirs and communal taps. 

Macua visited the area between 2022 and last year to verify the existence of the projects and also interviewed community members. The organisation released the report on Friday with a focus on Vametco. 

“Interviews with mine management revealed that one of the primary reasons for the delay was the lack of approval from the local municipality for critical documents required to align the project with the Integrated Development Plan,” the report stated. 

Michael Pege, a resident of Rabokala, said the community did not know much about the SLP as they were not consulted.

The promised tarred road in Rankotea is just a gravel road.

In their report, Macua said the incomplete water project in Rankotea represents a violation of basic human rights.

“The continued failure to operationalise this project, despite financial allocation and a three-year implementation window, illustrates a pattern of systemic neglect and institutional complacency,” reads the report.

The company had promised to set aside R3m for a 1km internal road, including stormwater drainage for affected communities around Rankotea.

“Despite Bushveld Vametco Mine's commitment in its SLP and the stated implementation timeline of 2019 to 2022, with a budget allocation of R3m, this absence is not merely a case of delayed delivery; it represents a pattern of broken promises and systemic neglect,” reads the report. 

Tumelo Tshabalala, head of communications at Madibeng municipality, did not respond to questions sent to him on Friday, while senior business rescue practitioner Piers Marsden could not be reached for comment. 

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