The Mohlohlo community near Mokopane, a mining town in the northern province of the country, is refusing to relocate to a newly built township to make way for an Anglo Platinum mine.

With the mine now blasting regularly and their farming and grazing land fenced off, the community’s ability to grow its own food has been affected.

“We stopped ploughing our land since 2001 and the compensation that we are getting from the mine is too little,” says Paul Thobane, a community leader.

Comprising of two villages, the community of about 10 000 people is disputing the process over the terms of the proposed relocations which they claim are “oppressive and exploitative” and pay no respect to the rights of the community.

The community demands that there should be no relocation unless the community is fully informed and consents to such.

On the other hand the London and Johannesburg listed Anglo Platinum says it has negotiated the relocation processes to the new townships, built at a cost of R600 million (about US$85.5 million), with the community through its representatives.

However, according to the community, the mining company had consulted with undemocratic and accountable Section 21 companies that it has formed masquerading as community representatives.

Anglo Platinum is expanding its operations to exploit the northern limb of the platinum-rich Bushveld Complex to eventually produce 230,000 ounces of platinum per year.

Since the reef nears the surface around the area, the mining company employs open cast mining method, which irreparably damages the villagers’ land, rendering it useless for farming after the mine would have ceased its operations.

The villagers say the compensation that Anglo Platinum is paying, through the Section 21, companies is not adequate to balance the loss of their livelihoods.

On the other hand, the continuous blasting is causing damage to houses in the village and putting people’s lives in danger, effectively forcing them to agree to relocate.

“It is completely unacceptable that residential areas have to be evacuated on a regular basis for blasting to take place,” says Thobane.

Traditional leaders are divided on the issue, especially now with the Kgoshigadi Langa, the overall chieftainess of the whole Mapela where the two villages are located, taking decisions without consultations and sacking village-level traditional leaders against relocating.

When she realised the villagers have sought the help of a mining lawyer, Richard Spoor, to deal with the legalities of the matters, she also tried to intimidate him.

Drilling and prospecting on other communal lands in Mapela continues and other big companies such as Lonmin are getting also involved, leaving several other communities unsure of their future and impacting on their food source.

According to the villagers, about four years ago the nearby GaPila community was removed from its land and dumped in a township, which has now turned into a rural slum.

Twenty-five families refused to relocate and not only are the mining dumps encroaching towards their homes, but their water and other basic services have been also cut off, leaving them destitute.