RESIDENTS are furious that a local mine wants to move their ancestors’ graves.
The people from Middelburg, Mpumalanga, said South32 Mine did not consult them and they’d heard graves had already been moved.
Community leader Peter Mokwana told Daily Sun the graves belonged to their forefathers who worked at the mine. “We can’t even visit the graves because they dug a big hole, stopping us from entering.
“They promised to build clinics and schools but it never happened.”
Peter said they wanted the mine to pay compensation before moving the graves. “It claims it put out notices on radio stations and in newspapers but many of us never saw them.
“We are surprised they say they got consent forms from families because no one spoke to us.”
Mineral resources spokeswoman Ayanda Shezi said: “The mine wanted to work the area where there are old graves but they have not been moved or damaged. It is still consulting with affected residents, the Human Rights Commission, the police and government departments.”
Mine spokeswoman Jenny White said they gave notice of the plan to move graves in Goedehoop section of Ifalethu Colliery in newspapers and on community radio.
“Following a strict consultation process with committee representatives, the company received signed consent forms from most families.”
She said the move hadn’t started.
