Civil Society groups including the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA), Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO), the Global Environmental Trust (GET), ActionAid South Africa, and the South African Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN) filed papers, on Tuesday this week, to interdict Tendele Coal’s mining operations in Somkhele and surrounding areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
MACUA said in a statement, this action seeks to restrain Tendele from conducting mining and related activities, including blasting, until it fully complies with the legal and environmental requirements for mining companies in South Africa.
This follows a court decision back on the 04 May 2022, ordering Tendele to revisit its environmental assessment application (EIA) and its public participation process.
MACUA’s Magnificent Mndebele, said “as the custodians of human rights of the affected communities, we will not stand by and watch, but we will resist with everything in our power until Tendele is compliant and operates within the
framework of the law.”
The interdict application of the Group wants Tendele to stop undertaking any mining and mining related activities pertaining to its unlawfully granted mining right described as “Part of Remainder of Reserve 3, No.158822, Hlabisa Magisterial District, measuring 21 233 0525 hectares, 222 km2, KZN30/5/1/2/2/10041MR.”
Groups want proof of the approval of the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr), for areas including Ophondweni and Mahujini.
MACUA also said the court order ignored several issues, such as the acknowledgement of the full extent of the conflict in the community as a result of the mining and the EIA process.
Others are the disclosure of all material information, including all necessary project and technical information, failure to fulfil commitments made at meetings (recorded in the minutes), not consulting people along the haul routes and organs of state.
Questions were sent to Tendele, but were not answered at the time of publication.
Picture: LifeGate