Mantashe postpones visit to Xolobeni as mining row simmers

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe yesterday postponed his scheduled visit to the volatile Xolobeni community in the Wild Coast, Eastern Cape.

Mantashe said he remained committed to continue with engagements with the whole community in order to ensure finality to the matter of mining and development in the area.

This as the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) yesterday ac- cused Mantashe of “preparing a provocation” in the Xolobeni area after the community received reports that he intended to visit the area on Sunday.

The community scored a significant victory last week after the North Gauteng High Court ruled that – in terms of the interim protection of informal land rights act – the Minister of Mineral Resources may not grant mining rights without the consent of the community and the people directly affected by that mining right.

In a statement, the department said Mantashe had intended to return to Xolobeni after the ACC requested him to engage the broader community following the meeting he had convened in mid-November.

The department added that Mantashe had interacted with Richard Spoor, the legal representative of the ACC on these matters, but criticised his statement issued to the media, saying that it was rather unfortunate and disingenuous.

“This is highly irresponsible and can only serve to fuel tensions in the community,” the department said.

“As it is the ministry’s commitment and practice, details of the minister’s visit to Xolobeni – like in other cases – will be communicated by the department to stakeholders, including members of the media.”

The community has been at loggerheads with the department while waging a 15-year long battle against the issuing of a mining license to Transworld Energy and Minerals (TEM), a subsidiary of Australian mining company MRC, to mine titanium along the Wild Coast in Mbizana. – ANA