Land and Mineral Resources Select Committee concerned about non-compliance
The Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources has expressed serious concerns about mining companies under Madibeng Local Municipality in the North West which are failing to comply with the Social Labour Plans (SLP).
This after the Committee received presentations from the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) as well as the municipality yesterday (17 August 2015) during its oversight visit. There are 15 mining companies operating in the area which falls under the municipality. One mining company is still operating under a prospecting license.
“It is concerning that these mining companies continue to ignore their responsibility to implement SLPs as it was required by the mining charter. The non-compliance to the SLPs meant that there would not be any development in the communities where these companies are operating,” said Mr Olifile Sefako, Committee Chairperson.
The Committee is in the province as part of its oversight visit, which is aimed at providing a platform for all spheres of government to account on the status of service delivery. The Committee also wants to ensure that Parliament interacts with the ordinary people on the ground in order to listen to their concerns regarding services offered by government.
The Committee was unimpressed that DMR in the province was represented by junior officials, saying that the department did not take the Committee seriously. “Although we appreciate presentation from the DMR, we cannot allow junior officials to take questions. We are of the view that they would not be in a position to provide all the answers we needed. We will take this matter up with the department on a national level at a different forum,” said Mr Sefako.
The Committee also visited two mining companies (Hernic Ferrochrome and Eland Platinum) in order to conduct site inspection, in which Members learned that South Africa constituted 84% of the world’s chrome ore reserves. The Committee will today (19 August 2015) interact with community members at the Madibeng Local Municipality offices.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Justice Molafo
Tel: 021 403 8444
Cell: 081 424 7481
Email: jmolafo@parliament.gov.za
