[Miningmx.com] — The SA Human Rights Commission has asked Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu to intervene in the plight of miners at the Grootvlei mine in Springs.
The SAHRC “is continuing with its investigation of a complaint on allegations of human rights violations relating to mining activities at the Grootvlei mine east of Johannesburg, and has recently written to the Minister of Mineral Resources Ms Susan Shabangu to request her intervention in this matter”, the commission said in a statement on Friday.
The politically-connected Aurora Empowerment Systems is trying to raise funds to buy the Pamodzi Gold mining group’s Grootvlei and Orkney mines. Pamodzi was placed under provisional liquidation in 2009.
Since then the mines have stood idle, and many workers have not been paid. Unions, including the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Solidarity, have said the mines are being stripped of their assets. Pumps at the Grootvlei mine in Springs were not working, leading to the build-up of acid mine water.
Aurora – whose directors include former president Nelson Mandela’s grandson Zondwa, and President Jacob Zuma’s nephew Khulubuse – had been given until August by the High Court in Pretoria to obtain financing for the mines.
The commission had investigated the matter of unpaid workers at Grootvlei.
“Preliminary findings on the matter show that the non-payment of salaries has had resultant impacts on the quality of life of the workers and their families, particularly on their health and access to food, water and education.”
This week, Aurora told Parliament that all NUM-affiliated workers at the Grootvlei mine, and 80% of those at the Orkney mine had been paid. However, NUM denied this.
The SAHRC was also concerned about acid mine water as it could threaten the rights to food, water and a safe environment, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.
The commission had asked Shabangu to give it a plan showing how it would rehabilitate the Grootvlei mine and surrounding area. It should also look at the “wider problem of acid mine drainage in the Gauteng region”.
The plan should include information on how it would assist unpaid Grootvlei workers.
One of the Pamodzi liquidators, Enver Motala, said earlier this week that China’s Shangdong Gold Mining Company had expressed “serious interest” in funding Aurora, to enable it to acquire the assets of Pamodzi Gold.
The SAHRC was disappointed by the delays in getting finance.
“The commission has also expressed its disappointment with the liquidator for continuously granting extensions to potential buyers of the mine, which has resulted in the delay of transfer of ownership of the mine, which has resulted in the problems indicated above.”
The SAHRC set up a committee on environmental justice and mining to advise it on the impacts of mining on human settlements and the natural environment. It held its first meeting on March 22, and comprised members from civil society, research organisations, local government and academic institutions.
The commission said it had not yet received a response to its request for information from Shabangu.
The department of mineral resources was not immediately available to comment.
