After several meetings and engagements with the Xolobeni community, Traditional Leaders and the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) on issues pertaining to the Xolobeni mining conflict and disputes, the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the South African Police Service (SAPS), local traditional leaders and the local municipality established a Xolobeni Task Team that will focus on ensuring peace and stability to the community.
On 24 November 2016, the task team convened a meeting to map a way forward regarding the Xolobeni situation. Issues deliberated at the meeting included the 18 month moratorium for the Xolobeni Mining Project which was declared by the Minister of Mineral Resources, Mosebenzi Zwane (MP) in September 2016 and a report on processes followed by the police with regard to cases lodged and investigations following the violence that erupted in the community.
During this task team meeting, the ACC unfortunately walked out of the meeting refusing to return even after several attempts by the Chairperson of the Committee.
The department, in this regard, notes with concern a statement issued by the ACC that the DMR is “pushing for Xolobeni mining at Wild Coast Sun meeting.”
The DMR will continue to engage with all stakeholders and pleads with all stakeholders to support the function of the task team as this will bring peace and stability in Xolobeni.
