Our appeal against the issuing of a 222 square km mining right (Area 4 and 5 on the map) has been rejected by the Minister of Mineral Resources. On 31 August 2017 the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation(MCEJO) and Mr Sabelo Dladla (the late Mr Gednezar Dladla’s son) submitted an internal appeal to the Director-General of Mineral […]
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Minister Mantashe fails to pitch to honour discussions with KZN communities on Mining Charter
Tuesday, 22nd May 2018, Pietermaritzburg: The Minister of Mineral Resources, Mr Gwede Mantashe failed to honour his commitment to visit the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province today to discuss the Mining Charter. Community people gathered from Newcastle area (Normandien, Kliprand Farm and Uitkomst communities) and Somkhele, where Petmin’s coal mine is being challenged by local community people. More than […]
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Hope for Somkhele, Place of Pain
“On Thursday, 15 February 2018, one hundred and twenty people gathered in Somkhele, near the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, to document stories of how their lives have been devastated by Tendele coal mine for the past thirteen years. This brings hope that life in Somkhele is going to change for the better. Sadly, 45 year old […]
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Fighting destructive mining in South Africa: help MACUA activists raise profile of “right to say No!” campaign
Mining Affected Communities in United Action started this petition to the South African Department of Mineral Resources and 3 others Mining-affected communities are repeatedly denied what is known as the right to free prior and informed consent (FPIC) when it comes to mining developments in their backyard. You can help them fight for a Right to say NO to mining developments that […]
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Urgent letter to DMR
RE: NOTICE OF APPEAL AGAINST THE GRANTING OF MINING RIGHT KZN30/5/1/2/2/1004MR TO TENDELE COAL MINING PTY (LTD) A letter has been sent to the Department of Mineral Resources by Kirsten Youens of Youens Attorneys. This is in response to information received that Tendele Coal Mining is mining in an area authorised by a mining right […]
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Dead Cat and Arson Fail to Intimidate Somkhele Activist
Early Sunday morning, 25th February 2018, Bongani Pearce, an activist well-known in Somkhele for challenging Tendele Coal Mining, woke up to the gruesome find of a dead cat’s body in the middle of his yard. While he was still in shock about the dead cat, he noticed that two wooden trusses supporting the roof in […]
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PUTTING THE INGONYAMA TRUST ACT IN PERSPECTIVE
‘The relocation and redistribution of land process took a staggering blow with the unexpected and secretive passing of the KwaZulu INgonyama Trust Act which was passed by the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly and assented to by President de Klerk on 25 April 1994……….’ Cohen, T in Human Rights Yearbook 1995 (1996:144) Amidst threats of violence, a political storm […]
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Zululand Observer – Anti-mining activists prepare for battle
By Tamlyn Jolly ANTI-MINING activists are readying for a fight as their court hearing against Tendele Mining Ltd and Others is set for 24 August. Arguing that Tendele, owners of the Somkhele opencast anthracite mine near Mtubatuba, is operating unlawfully for a number of reasons, the Global Environmental Trust (GET) requested the court grant an […]
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Two Day Report of the meeting held in Somkhele 26&27 Jan 2018 – Hosted by the MACUA/MCEJO (NGO) and GET
By Oscar Gwala On the 26th January 2018, the first day of a two day workshop, 17 participants attended: 7 males and 10 females representing the 6 Somkhele villages directly affected by the Tendele coal mine, namely: Kwamyeki, Dubelenkunzi, Mahhujini, Qubuka, Emachibini and lastly Esiyembeni. The day started off with Billy Mnqondo introducing everyone who […]
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Summary of Court papers – Global Environmental Trust and Others vs Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd and Others
By Kirsten Youens Our court hearing against Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd and Others is set down for 24 August 2018. Here is a very brief summary of the papers: Our Founding Papers request the Court to grant an interdict preventing Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd from operating their coal mine at Somkhele until […]
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