Angloplat urged to consult with communities

SOUTH Africa's Human Rights Commission has called for Anglo Platinum Ltd to better engage with the communities the company is relocating from its Potgietersrus project in the Limpopo region, in order to avoid potential human rights abuses.

In a report released this week, the commission said the over riding challenge it had observed from the relocation programme was the disintegration of trust between the company and the communities.

The report recommended that experienced consultants should be used to assist communities to understand their rights and how to use them during relocations.

It also recommended that immediate action be taken to address the water and sanitation issues for the relocated community and those that refuse to be moved.

Angloplat said it welcomed the commission's report. "While we are pleased that the report makes no findings of violations of the law or human rights, the [commission] has drawn attention to some of the hidden vulnerabilities of communities," Mary-Jane Morifi, head of corporate affairs, said.

In separate news, an accident at Angloplat's Polokwane smelter has caused the smelter to close and may cut production by 200,000oz this year.