S. Africa: Several people injured during protests as community vows that mining cannot proceed until its concerns are resolved
For over 10 years now communities from the Mononono village in North West Province and mining company Ikwezi Vanadium have been stuck in a battle over mining rights granted to Ikwezi Vanadium. In October 2011 Ikwezi Vanadium gets prospecting rights for vanadium from the Department of Minerals and Energy on the Haakdoorfontein farm, but the community members were not happy which lead to some protests. The community wants Ikwezi to stop its activities until it has clearly communicated its mining plans, and how the community will benefit from or be compensated for Ikwezi’s mining on Haarkdoornfontein farm. The community has also requested an environmental impact assessment because the farm is close to a gravesite and houses. Ikwezi, however claims that consultations were held with the broader community at large, including the signing of various agreements with the respective traditional authorities at the different stages of the company’s operations. Pursuant to obtaining bulk sampling permissions in 2019, the company held further consultations with community leadership and the respective traditional authority, which ultimately led to the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with the respective communities, Mononono community included. Many have been seriously injured in the protests that have been happening within the area and communities allege the police are not doing anything to protect them.