While plans to contest the proposed tolling of the N2 are not yet on the eThekwini municipality’s agenda, environmental and economic activist organisations are mobilising members to work out their next move.
City manager Michael Sutcliffe said the city council and the KZN legislature remained opposed to the development, but obtaining an interdict to prevent Sanral from implementing the plan had yet to be discussed.

Andrew Layman, chief executive of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said some time had elapsed since the chamber made representations in respect of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
“These representations reflected strong opposition to the establishment of a toll road in such a way that commuters would be seriously affected.

“While there is a need for the N2 to be upgraded to improve the link with the Eastern Cape, it is unsupportable that the cost should be borne by local people who use the road on a daily basis.”
The impact assessment pro-cess, he said, had been completed and permission granted for the road to be built – objections lodged by the chamber, mainly on the basis of the economic impact, had been overruled.
“The chamber is engaging with its members to prepare for (the public comment process) and, perhaps, contest the decision for the EIA approval. We do not have a new mandate yet, but it appears that the opinions of member companies, especially those in the south area who will be most directly affected, have not changed since the chamber lodged its previous objections.”

Wildlife and Environmental Society of SA conservation manager Chris Galliers said the organisation had just received a response from Molewa to requests for more information to validate her decision to authorise the highway and tolls, and would discuss the outcome at a later stage.

Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokes-man for Premier Zweli Mkhize, said the position of the KZN government had also not changed. ”(The premier) and his government are opposed to the tolling of roads as this will hamper socio-economic development,” he said.
The City of Cape Town has applied for an interim interdict to stop the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) from implementing proposed tolls on the N1 and N2. Mayor Patricia de Lille said poorer areas would be hardest hit by the proposed toll roads.

Sanral, in response to queries made by the Daily News, said that following the decision to approve the construction of the proposed project made by Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa, there would follow, among other things, the intent to toll process, which would provide the public with further opportunity to voice their views. It said the public were urged to make their views heard. “As with all the other steps in the project proposal, the intent to toll will be publicised in national and regional media for public knowledge.”
Sanral was not able to say when this process would begin.
Albi Modise, the chief director of communications of the Department of Environmental Affairs, confirmed that Molewa remained committed to her initial decision.

Source:   Daily News

Author:  Kamcilla Pillay

Posted on October 19th, 2011 by Daniel
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Before the turn of this century, studies conducted by Richards Bay Minerals inferred a resource at what became known as the Xolobeni mineral sands project of 83 million tons of mineral sands, including 10 percent of heavy minerals.

Read more ….

Source : www.iol.co.za

Posted on July 22nd, 2011 by Louis
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Companies and Intellectual Property Commission records suggest that Xolobeni Empowerment Company (Xolco) co-founders Max Boqwana and Zamile “Madiba” Qunya at some stage shared other business interests.

Read more….

Source : www.iol.co.za

Posted on July 22nd, 2011 by Louis
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Australian junior mining group Mineral Commodities (MRC) whose licence for the controversial Xolobeni mineral sands project was revoked in May, still hopes to mine titanium on the Wild Coast with its empowerment partner Xolobeni Empowerment Company.

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Posted on July 20th, 2011 by Louis
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Minister Susan Shabangu has informed Sarah Septhon, legal representative of the Amadiba Crisis Committee that the mining rights awarded in July 2008 to Australian owned Transworld Energy and Minerals (Pty) Ltd (TEM) and the Xolobeni Empowerment Company (Pty) Ltd (Xolco) have been revoked.

Accordingly the complaint lodged by the Amadiba Crisis Committee with the Public Protector last week against the Minister for the long delay in announcing her decision has been withdrawn.

The Amadiba Crisis Committee and Sun International together lodged objections to the award of the mining rights in September 2008. A Special Task Team chaired by senior ANC MP Nkosi Patekile Holimisa found that the award of mining rights was in several respects in violation of legislated requirements.

The Minister has however left the door slightly ajar to allow the applicants a ninety day period in which to re-apply.

The attached documentation explains the Ministers decision.

Comment from the Amadiba Crisis Committee and the NGO Sustaining the Wild Coast which has supported them, will be forthcoming, but I offer the following comment in my professional capacity as the social worker who has been privileged to work with local residents for the past five years.

STATEMENT

The decision of Minister Shabangu closes a very long and frustrating chapter in the quest of the Amadiba residents for sustainable livelihoods.

To put it colloquially, a large and aggressive “dog” has been removed from the manger that it has occupied over the past three years, obstructing the local residents from pursing sustainable livelihood’s from nature and heritage based eco tourism. Although the ‘dog’ has been given the chance to reapply for control over the ‘manger’ it is now inconceivable that it would ever be able to take up occupation again, because over the next six months plans are afoot to revive the once celebrated community based eco-tourism initiative known as Amadiba Adventures.

With the COP 17 Talks taking place in six months time in Durban, together with the Wild Coast Sun Resort and other partners, the local residents will now ensure all available tourism accommodation on the Wild Coast is fully booked with international visitors who will be invited to celebrate an Avatar like victory of an indigenous people who cherish their natural environment and ancestral traditions. They declared the rich titanium deposits on the Wild Coast ‘unobtanium’ after they saw that film, and have gone one better than the NaVi warriors by using non-violent, constitutional means to oust the mineral addicted invaders.

The Amadiba Crisis Committee is now planning a huge celebration and plans to reconstitute themselves and the Amadiba Peace and Development Committee to facilitate healing and peace building in a community that was once a peaceful haven, but which has over the past five years seen constant tension and conflict.

While I welcome the Ministers decision I cannot understand how the Minister can conclude that the applicants took all reasonable steps to consult with the relevant parties. The Human Rights Commission found that consultation was woefully lacking as far back as 2007, and the only remedial ‘consultation’ process that I am aware of was when the BEE partner Xolco submitted forged and fraudulent names of some 3000 local residents claiming their free and informed consent. Minister Shabangu also has in her possession a long interview with a former Xolco member who resigned in protest together with two other directors after they realised that he had been co-opted into what he described a “corrupt scheme to sell the land of the people”.

Moreover it is worth noting that during the Local Government Elections ANC members from the mining affected area nominated candidates who were opposed to the mining to contest the elections. The voters followed suit by overwhelmingly electing the ANC candidates with their declared anti mining position, rather than the rash of independent candidates who suddenly appeared, backed by the pro-mining lobby.

I assume that Minister Shabangu was waiting for the elections before announcing her decisions, and hope that she is reassured that there can be no local political backlash. The Mbizana municipality is one of the poorest in the country and the local council needs support to make full use of the astounding natural and heritage resources at its disposal to promote jobs and development.

Notwithstanding these reservations, I wish to personally congratulate the Honourable Minister bringing some measure of closure. She has had to juggle a very hot potato which has not cooled down over the past two years since she assumed office.

Posted on June 8th, 2011 by Louis
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Advocate Thuli Madonsela, South Africa’s Public Protector has received a complaint from the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) representing residents from the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast, because of the failure of the Director General of Mineral Resources, Sandile Nogcina to honour commitments made to bring closure on the Xolobeni Mining Rights controversy.

Read More……..

Posted on June 3rd, 2011 by Louis
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Government has failed for three years to consult on Xolobeni
Project.

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Posted on June 2nd, 2011 by Louis
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