Divisions over Xolobeni, South Africa

Mine tears village apart

Daily Despatch

25th August 2008

THE multi-million rand titanium mining project being planned for the Wild Coast has divided the nearby Xolobeni village down the middle.

Now neighbours, who once lived in peace and harmony, no longer talk to one another because they belong to one of two opposing factions - for or against the mining.

The situation is so bad that police are conducting daily patrols in the volatile northern Pondoland area where the village chief, Nkosi Baleni Ndabazakhe, was assaulted two weeks ago for supporting the mining.

The chief has since fled to an unknown location in KwaZulu- Natal. The assault took place on the same day that Minerals and Energy

Minister Buyelwa Sonjica was in the village to announce progress with the controversial mining project.

In June this year, Sonjica awarded titanium mining rights to Australian company Mineral Commodities (MRC) despite strong objections from some of the villagers and environmentalists.

When the Daily Dispatch visited the village last week an eerie silence hung over the area, and it was clear that the villagers felt uneasy talking openly about the mining project as a result of the divisions.

"They will definitely have to kill us first before they can start any mining activities on the land of our forefathers," said Mthanjelwa Mpothelwa, who is an adviser at Amadiba Traditional Authority.

Mpothelwa, along with several other villagers, has accused the government of "imposing" the mining on them.

He said the government was "blackmailing" them into accepting the mine in exchange for developmental projects in the impoverished village.

"We have been threatened by government that our road will not be fixed, that we will not get water and electricity unless we agree to the mine," said Mpothelwa.

He claimed that those supporting the mining were registering people from areas such as Flagstaff as if they were from Xolobeni just to fill up their list of people in support of the project.

"You can't even trust your own neighbour about this because you don't know which faction he belongs to," said Thokozani Mthwa, a mother of five children.

Most who spoke to the Dispatch were against the mine and highlighted concerns over health and the graves of their forefathers in the area to be mined. There were also concerns that the mining would destroy vital farming land.

However, a 76-year-old father of 13 children who asked not to be named said he was in full support of the mine because it would provide job opportunities for his children.

Ward councillor Ntethelelo Madikizela said many villagers were so poor that girls got pregnant so they could benefit from government child grants . - By MALUNGELO BOOI and LUBABALO NGCUKANA Mthatha Bureau