Exxaro-owned Strathrae Coal Mine is accused of failing local and using political structures to block communication and exclude residents.
An Exxaro-owned mine in Carolina, Mpumalanga, is allegedly not empowering local communities as required by the Social Labour Plan.
Strathrae Coal Mine has also not rebuilt a school it demolished to make way for mining activities on the land where the school was located, they said.
The Asibambaneni Progressive Development Forum, an organisation of community members, recently submitted a letter stating: “When the mine started to operate a two years ago, it razed the school and promised in July they would start building a school at a new location. The project has not yet started.
“Also there are no job opportunities for our people. Two people are benefiting from the mine and they belong to a structure the mine is using to communicate with us,” the document read.
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Allegations of political interference
It said when the community tried to interact with the mine, management told them to communicate through the 21 Youth Development Structure, but its chair is said to be blocking the communication.
Community leaders also accused Mbuso Magubane, Chief Albert Luthuli municipality mayor, of establishing a committee to represent the community without involving them.
Mining expert David van Wyk said this kind of political interference was common in areas where there are mines.
Exxaro spokesperson Nomonde Ndwalaza did not respond to questions from The Citizen.
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