ZWF INFO FYI – SWC ~ Sustaining the Wild Coast ~ Xolobeni Mining Updates

Minister delays mine appeal decision

MINERAL Resources’ Minister Susan Shabangu has told Pondoland opponents of a titanium dune mining project that she needs another month to consider their appeal against the Xolobeni coastal dune mining project. Shabangu had been scheduled to announce this week her decision on the appeal by the Amadiba Crisis Committee, which is based on the alleged failure of the applicant mining company to properly consult on the project with either residents of the area or the king and queen of Pondoland.

ZWF COMMENT :: Mining Consultants & Environmentalists alike have expressed grave reservations that this finance stricken Australian mining company (see story below) would be able to meet any of its rehabilitation obligations of the mining strip of prime coastal habitat (see map above) – It is imperative that Minister Shabangu is made aware of this critical situation – please contact your MP to hammer home this message.

This is yet another worrying saga in the growing onslaught by surface strip mining which threatens numerous regions of Zululand (current & future) & South Africa, as well as regions to the North – The Aussie/Chinese threat is ever daunting !!

ASX:MRC Financial Status

Posted: 14 Apr 2011 12:31 AM PDT

THE Australian company given rights to strip-mine along the Wild Coast has reported heavy financial losses, and is facing legal battles that may cost it even more. Mineral Commodities, whose chairman is Joseph Caruso, 61, and managing director Mark Caruso, 45, posted a R48million loss last year. The Perth-based miner’s future hinges on two South African projects: the controversial Xolobeni on the Wild Coast and Tormin on the West Coast. These it hopes to finance from its 5.7 percent stake in London AIM- listed Allied Gold, which operates mines in Papua New Guinea.

The latest facts emerging about the company have increased criticism that the Department of Minerals and Energy did not check the company’s financial standing thoroughly enough when it awarded the licence to mine in an environmental hot-spot .
Apart from the financial check, the Department of Environment and Tourism (Deat) concluded its report on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) with: “The department has grave concerns with regard to the proposed mining developments in the area and objects to it.

“Several crucial aspects and specialist studies are lacking. From the documentation submitted, it is clear that the accepted and adopted planning and policy guidelines for the area have not been taken into consideration and several of the legislative requirements have not been met.
“No time frames or schedules are included to indicate whether they will be adhered to.
“Deat has not received the application for the listed activities in terms of the EIA regulations under the National Environmental Management Act.

“This alone is an almost fatal flaw in the public process to be followed.”
In addition to the Deat’s rejection of the EIA , the SA Human Rights Commission alleged that the required community support for the controversial project had been obtained “Mafia-style”.

source : www.wccoa.co.za

Media Release Issued by Kibao Communications On behalf of Amadiba Crisis Committee

Posted: 29 Mar 2011 11:42 PM PDT

Issued by Kibao Communications
On behalf of Amadiba Crisis Committee
Further info:

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu has failed to make a decision on the appeal against the mining right granted to Australian junior mining company Mineral Resources Commodities into mine the dunes at Xolobeni on the Wild Coast. She was due to speak on the controversial project on March 25, over two and a half years after the Amadiba Community threatened to take the Minister to Court to stop the mining project that has since 2003 become an ever more menacing threat to the unique biodiversity of the Wild Coast and traditional way of life of the amaMpondo.

Speaking on behalf of the Amadiba Crisis Committee which appealed the decision to allow mining, Sinegugu Zakhulu said “We cannot imagine what is causing her indecision on the matter. The Human Rights Commission as far back in 2007 was critical of the mining proposal, and even a special task team of the Mineral Resources Board, which was chaired by Patakile Holomisa, found glaring shortcomings in the mining rights application, including evidence that the traditional leadership, which includes the Chief and the King of amaMpondo were never consulted. This is apart from all the problems the task team found, with the water permits that had not been applied for, and the overwhelmingly negative long term environmental and economic impacts.

This is totally unacceptable because it is not only the mining which is ‘on hold’ but the revival of eco-tourism that is on hold, with all its job
creation potential”.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WRITTEN REPLY TO QUESTION NO 3557

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 01:30 AM PST

Mr S B Farrow (DA) to ask the Minister of Transport:

(1) Whether the consultants who conducted the environmental impact assessment for the proposed N2 toll road through the Wild Coast considered the viability of upgrading the R61 as an alternative; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;

(2) whether an official in his department instructed them that a case should be made for why the R61 should not be upgraded as an alternative to the proposed N2 toll road; if not, how was this conclusion reached; if so, (a) to what degree was the independence of the EIA process compromised and (b) what are the further relevant details;

(3) whether the official who gave this instruction will be disciplined; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW4397E

For further information contact Val Payne (SWC) at webmaster@swc.org.za

Posted on April 18th, 2011 by Louis
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Further Conduct of the internal review application brought by the Amadiba crisis committee, In respect of the mining right granted to transworld energy and mineral resources SA (PTY) LTD over a portion of the Xolobeni mineral sands project, Kwanyana Block, Wild Coast, Eastern Cape Province
CLICK HERE TO READ

Posted on February 9th, 2011 by Louis
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Evocative passages, historical revelations and necessary questions about the future. A must have for any Wild Coast enthusiast. - Heather Bennie, former Transkei resident.

Fascinating tales about shipwrecks and survivors, settlers and tribes, and colonial claims on the Transkei and Wild Coast over the past 400 years. An amazing tapestry in one easy-to-read composition. - Pat Goss, life-long resident and businessman in Pondoland.

Well researched and beautifully written. A fascinating read. - Jacque Baker, of an ‘old Pondoland family’.

Most interesting and well researched. I’m waiting for a sequel. - Dan Wardlaw, 3rd generation Wildcoaster.

Available from the author at dennison2@telkomsa.net.  R150-00 plus R20-00 packaging and postage. 

Also at BookWorld, Cascades, PMB, The Outspan Inn  at Port St Johns and Clarke’s Bookshop in Cape Town.

Posted on November 5th, 2008 by Louis
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Posted on September 17th, 2008 by Louis
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Posted on September 8th, 2008 by Louis
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5/8 Metro News 15:01

Environmentalists are up in arms over the decision by the minerals and energy department to allow titanium mining along the Eastern Cape’s wild coast, the company Mineral Commodities has been awarded mining rights for the so called Krinyana(PH) block which represents 1/3rd of the original area applied for . 1 min

5/8 RSG Nuus 17:00

The Department of Minerals and Energy has given the green light for the mining of titanium on the Eastern Cape Wild Coast. Mineral Commodities have acquired the right to mine. Environmental organizations originally opposed the mining operation. 1 min

5/8 R2000 News 17:00

Environmentalists are up in arms over the allowance of titanium mining on the Eastern Cape’s wild coast; Mineral Commodities have been awarded mining rights for the area, int. Sputnik Ratao Environmental Department. 1 min

5/8 SAfm News 18:01

Environmentalists are up in arms over the decision by the minerals and energy department to allow titanium mining along the Eastern Cape’s wild coast, the company Mineral Commodities has been awarded mining rights for the so called Krinyana(PH) block which represents 1/3rd of the original area applied for. 1 min

6/8 702 John Robbie 06:31

John comments about the St Lucia mining in that now there is another scandal that emerged about the Wild Coast now. Its an area that has been given mining rights- the Xolobeni Minerals Sands and anyone who knows anyone about this please give us a call. 1 min

6/8 Radio 702 John Robbie

07:45 Wildcoast Mining- the Xolobeni Minerals Sands

(int) Attorney for Wildcoast Community, Richard Spoor. He discusses about the problems with mining dunes for titanium at St Lucia with regards to the proposed mining of the Wildcoast. He talks about the environmental Impact Assessments, the ecological sustainability of the area as well as the potential for developing the area. The Minerals and Energy Department is very aggressive in developing mines in this country regardless of the cost to the environment, awards mining rights without water rights and environmental approval.

8/8 Radio 702 John Robbie

07:22 Wildcoast mining rights

[REPLAY OF RICHARD SPOOR INTERVIEW EARLIER THIS WEEK ABOUT XOLOBENI MINERAL RIGHTS]

07:23 Wildcoast mining rights!

(Int) Deputy Director General of Mineral Regulation at the Department of Minerals and Energy-Dosinto Rosha. He responds to the strong attack from Richard Spoor about the mining rights. He says they have not received any objection within this granting of the mining rights for the area. If there is an objection they would address with the land owners before putting the mining equipment on the land. He says that Richard Spoor-the lawyer of his standing and caliber, before he speaks to the media he must learn not to be economic with the truth. He says DME is pro development and that area is a poverty sensitive area.

07:46 Caller comments about the Wildcoast area mining rights issue. He says that there is a river in the Wildcoast area that has the kingship majestic fish and this river is a renowned sanctuary and questions whether the open cast mining for titanium will have an impact on this river.

The Jenny Crys Williams Show, on Radio 702 will feature the dune mining story on Monday from 2.30 pm.

Callers are invited. The show is available on audio stream.

Posted on August 6th, 2008 by Louis
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One is tempted to call it Pondoland’s long walk for freedom. In essence, it was a coming together of diverse people and communities of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ to express their concern about proposals to open cast mine, for titanium, the coastal dunes of this pristine environment. All expressed apprehension that the mining proposal is an environmentally damaging type of development that none of them wanted, and that none could see much benefit from for their communities.

Eighteen kilometers is a long way to walk on beach sand, but the old and the young, the fit and the ‘could be fitter’, the poor and the better off, joined together in mutual comradeship and peace in an eloquent democratic protest to express support for development that shares prosperity amongst poor communities while keeping the environment intact.

The elders, headmen and chiefs of the five communities who live upon the land to be mined, and who therefore will be most immediately affected by the mining, expressed their concerns most eloquently. They talked of how the forefathers of their forefathers are buried in the earth there; of generational links to the land which the mining will rip apart; of the dependency of their culture and their lifestyle on an undamaged environment, with grass on which their livestock can feed, and healthy soil in which to grow their crops; of how they wish to pass their land and culture intact to future generations. They spoke with pride of a culture with deep connections and respect for the landscape, which was now threatened by a ‘foreign invasion’ from a foreign mining company. They spoke about how poverty prevented them from going to Pretoria in protest so they could have their voices heard, unlike those wealthier ones whose riches enable them to lobby for the mining in the corridors of power.
So it was also a walk about democracy; about the rights of common people and communities to be able to have a voice in the sort of future they want for themselves and their children.

Ironically, these communities managed to survive the worst ravages of the cultural and social breakdown of apartheid and they managed to survive the manipulations of the colonial era which would divest them of the power to choice over their land. Now, in the era of so called freedom, these communities face the greatest challenge yet in the form of a foreign invader who comes to exploit them in the name of ‘economic development’ and ‘poverty relief’, and with decisions made by far away politicians who will never have to live with the immediate consequences of those decisions. Those in the corridors of power who support such environmentally and socially destructive development as the proposed mining favour the foreign cash that the exports of minerals earns, which fills the coffers of GDP and makes the nation’s economy look good. But what those who hold GDP as hallowed neglect to mention, is that GDP does not measure how wealth is distributed, nor does it measure many of the negative costs that are unaccounted for in economic reckoning. Study after study shows that increased GDP does not necessarily result in poverty relief, and in many cases GDP is merely a reflection of increased wealth in some sectors, not necessarily a better quality of life across the board. In many cases, even when GDP is increasing, levels of poverty are also increasing if the wealth reflected by GDP is only going to a few.

Also, as the United Nations Millennium EcoAssessment report states, ‘the degradation of ecosystem services represents loss of a capital asset’, and points out that when the loss of natural capital through unsustainable use is factored into GDP, many countries that show a positive growth in GDP are actually experiencing a nett loss of capital. The impacts of loss of natural capital are felt most keenly and immediately by those with a subsistence way of life whose livelihoods depend most heavily on healthy natural systems.

The common people and elders of the Wild Coast Walk recognized this. They recognized that there can be no future prosperity for all unless there is a respectful use for the environment that upholds us all. They recognize that the mining might bring some wealth to some, but in all likelihood will bring greater poverty to many, and great social and environmental upheaval. They see that poverty relief lies in finding ways of using the resources of the earth with deference and wisdom, so that those natural systems that uphold human life are not destroyed but bring shared benefits to all.

It is a theme that is being repeated by common people in many, many areas of the world who are tired of environmentally exploitative practices that occur in the name of development and economic progress, but in reality leave locals and local environments worse off, while a few make a handsome profit out of the deal.
If authorities continue to take a short –sighted economic view ignores the rights of common people to have a voice in the future they would like to see, and the dependency of the well being of humanity on healthy functioning eco-systems, they do so at their peril.

Val Payn is a founder member of Sustaining the Wild Coast. She writes this in her personal capacity.

Posted on July 30th, 2008 by Louis
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