07 OCTOBER 2025
MEDIA STATEMENT
FROM THE DESK OF REV MZWANDILE MOLO, GENERAL SECRETARY
SACC STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE MARCH FOR PALESTINE
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) in its recent National Executive meeting has decided to support the March for Palestine taking place on Sunday 12 October 2025, beginning at Grace Bible Church in Pimville at 2pm, and culminating in a prayer service at Regina Mundi Church, Soweto.
We support the march because the time is long overdue for an immediate ceasefire to start the beginning of the end of the current conflict and give peace a chance. The Israeli state must allow food aide into Gaza to feed the children of Gaza who are starving to death without the food. No child deserves to die of starvation and hunger, and no parent should watch their child die in their hands because of the barbaric action of using starvation as a weapon of war. The time is now for all hostages to be released, the hostages held by Hamas and those held by the state of Israel throughout its prisons. This is important for confidence-building for peace negotiations but more than that, it is a commitment to human dignity that is found in total freedom.
We call on all Christian leaders, congregants, people of faith and people of good will to support this march, by joining us. The march in peace for peace will be a sign of our own solidarity with the people of Palestine who live with the dehumanising reality of occupation and now with the brutality of a genocide. We also march to secure the release of all the hostages.
Rev Mzwandile Molo, the General Secretary of the SACC emphasised the need for a united effort to mobilise support for Palestine: “Inspired by South Africa’s moral history and compelled by our biblical call to stand in solidarity with those who are oppressed, we stand for justice beyond our borders. Just as the global anti-apartheid movement mobilised nations, faith communities, and ordinary citizens to oppose systemic injustice in apartheid South Africa, so too must South Africa continue to support the growing global movement calling for an end to apartheid practices and oppression in Palestine.”
The SACC calls on all South Africans, of all races and faith affiliations to join the March for Palestine – to pray and act for peace in the Holy Land, and to carry forward South Africa’s legacy of faith-led activism for justice and reconciliation.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Khuthalani Khumalo
SACC Communications Consultant
South African Council of Churches
Tel: 084 681 7125 | Email: khuthalani@khuthalani.net
About the SACC
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is an ecumenical association of affiliated Christian Churches, and blocks of churches such as The Evangelical Alliance and the Council of African Independent Churches, and the International Federation of Christian Churches, with a mandate to lead common Christian action that works for moral witness in South Africa. SACC does not exist for the propagation and the advancement of its doctrinal position, but is the place where our diverse interpretations of our faith come together in action for social justice. It therefore seeks to achieve a visible, just socio-economic and ecological impact, enabled through engaged churches-in-community
for a reconciled South Africa and our sub-continent.
South Africa Tailings Tragedy Shows Need for Stronger Regulation and Effective Enforcement
BACKGROUND:
On the morning of September 11, a tailings dam collapsed
(https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-africa-mine-dam-wall-collapses-killing-three-injuring-40-2022-09-11/)
at the closed Jagersfontein diamond mine in Free State, South Africa. Local news reports the flood of mine waste killed at least one person and injured at least 40 people. The failure swept away houses, damaging at least 20 (https://fortune.com/2022/09/11/jagersfontein-mine-south-africa-dam-collapse-flash-flood-de-beers/ and displacing over 200 people). The tailings flowed over 8 km and left a path over 1.5 km wide (https://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2022/09/12/jagersfontein/). Video of the failure is available here.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3kaQKl0h1E)
De Beers, a unit of Anglo American, closed the mine more than 10 years ago, and at the time of going to press it was not clear who would take full responsibility ( https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/de-beers-mine-to-take-full-responsibility-following-dam-burst-in-jagersfontein/) for the failure. Jagersfontein Development (Pty) Ltd purchased the mine and was re-mining the tailings (https://itumeleng-trust.org/jagersfontein-history/) . The company was ordered to cease the disposal of waste water (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/news/2022-09-11-jagersfontein-mine-dam-risk-was-flagged-by-water-department-two-years-ago/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/news/2022-09-11-jagersfontein-mine-dam-risk-was-flagged-by-water-department-two-years-ago/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1663015005946048&usg=AOvVaw0J9zcuh2qH7P7JCtXlDjrz) at the site and community members had repeatedly raised concerns (https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-09-12-free-state-mine-dam-burst-floods-kill-three-four-people-critically-injured/) around the stability of the dam.
Local area politicians and the department of water affairs in the past raised concerns about the safety of the tailings facilities but these were seemingly ignored. A provincial government official said on Radio 702 that (https://ewn.co.za/2022/09/12/owners-of-jagersfontein-mine-dam-were-warned-to-stabilise-wall-fs-govt) “The mine owner was also engaged. We were promised that the place would be safe. Water Affairs also issued some warning certificates during the course of this year and of course, this problem was attended to. So, as I say, it was unexpected after the mine owners were warned to stabilise their wall.”
Local activists point to systemic neglect by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy of the concerns of communities. The lack of independent and effective regulation allows impunity to flourish, they say.
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, visited the disaster site on Monday and Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe is expected there on Tuesday 12/9/2022).
Research
(https://earthworks.org/assets/uploads/2018/12/44-Bowker-Chambers.-2015.-Risk-Public-Liability-Economics-of-Tailings-Storage-Facility-Failures.pdf)
has shown that tailings dams have been failing with increasing frequency and severity. Over the past 40 years, ore grades have declined on average by half for many minerals, effectively doubling the volume of mine waste tailings generated for each unit of mineral produced. While this tailings failure took place in the post-closure phase of the mine, tailings disasters can also occur while the mine is still in operation. Such was the case of the tailings failure at the Zululand Anthracite Colliery in December 2021 (https://saveourwilderness.org/2021/12/31/zacs-christmas-contamination-crisis/).
In 2022, 164 scientists, community groups, Indigenous peoples and civil society groups from 34 countries endorsed an updated set of guidelines for improving the management of mine waste disposal facilities. Based on consultation with over 200 stakeholders and experts across five continents, Safety First: Guidelines for Responsible Mine Tailing Management
(https://earthworks.org/resources/safety-first-guidelines-for-responsible-mine-tailings-management/)
shows that an industry-led tailings standard is failing to keep communities and ecosystems safe. Civil society has used this report to call on regulators and investors to prioritize meaningful steps to improve tailings safety.
Below are statements from civil society organizations based in South Africa, Canada and the United States:
“Tragedies like these show how communities bear the brunt of irresponsible mine waste management. South Africa (https://graphics.reuters.com/MINING-TAILINGS1/0100B4S72K1/index.html)
has the largest number of upstream tailings dams worldwide, a construction method that is considered unsafe and has actually been banned in some countries. Mining companies must not be allowed to simply walk away from unstable tailings dams. This means that governments must ensure the laws and practices of corporations change to protect communities and ecosystems.” – Hassen Lorgat of the Benchmarks Foundation in South Africa and convenor of the South African Tailings Working Group.
“It is clear that mining companies continue prioritizing their bottom lines over community safety in tailings management. Governments must ensure that companies make safety the primary consideration in tailings facilities and dam design, construction, operation, closure and post-closure, and those measures must be independently verified.” – Jamie Kneen of MiningWatch Canada.
“At present, industry standards and governmental regulations still do not go far enough to adequately protect communities and ecosystems from tailings failures. Effective tailings management is impossible without both civil society oversight, and that of independent professionals. Affected communities, Indigenous Peoples, labor, and civil society organizations must be engaged in decision making processes around tailings management and undue influence by the mining sector must be mitigated.” – Jan Morrill of Earthworks
For more information:
Hassen Lorgat, Bench Marks Foundation, +27 82 362 6180, hasslorgat@gmail.com
Jan Morrill, Earthworks, +1 (207) 542-4360, jmorrill@earthworksaction.org
Jamie Kneen, MiningWatch Canada, +1 (613) 761-2273, jamie@miningwatch.ca
URGENT MEDIA RELEASE
Bench Marks Foundation is greatly concerned about the refusal of the South African Police in Marikana to open up assault charges against the private security G4S at Tharisa Mine. Members of the community went to the police station to report incidents of alleged assaults on them. They believe that they were assaulted for their their refusal to leave their homes during blasting at the mine.
The community refused to leave their homes as they believe that blasting endangers their lives and property. The community is obliged to leave their homes every time blasting takes place because rocks and other debris flies into the homes. All these costs are borne by the community whilst the company profits at the community’s expense.
Recently G4S community sources confirm, allegedly assaulted eTV’s Checkpoint television crew, who were invited by the community to bear witness to their suffering.
This case has a long history and last year the BMF wrote to the president, the Minister of Minerals and Energy Resources, as well as the ministers responsible for the environment, human settlements and the premier of the North West province to address these issues. Whilst some acknowledged receipt, nothing has been done.
The Foundation regards these “attacks “ on the Maditlhokwa community by Tharisa Mine as violations of human rights particularly their rights to dignity and basic and health and safety. Furthermore, the Foundation calls on Tharisa mine to desist from unlawful and unjust actions, as no one is above the law.
“We call on the SAPS to do their job as citizens believe their rights have been violated. They must open up a case for basic violations of rights”, Moses Cloete deputy director of the Bench Marks Foundation added.
In the coming week the Foundation we will seek the involvement of the South African Human Rights Commission to ensure that community rights are not violated.
Ends
Bench Marks Media Stateme t Maditlhokwa. Click here for More Information
For further information please contact Mr D. van Wyk, Lead Researcher at 0826525061.
Bench Marks Foundation Media Release – For Immediate Release
A Rushed Job Undermines Democracy and Puts Communities at Risk
Date of issue – 14 May 2020
The DMRE has been sitting on the decision to consult communities for a period of almost two weeks. As the judge ruled in the AMCU matter on May 1 2020 (CASE NO.: J427 / 2020), the government only gazetted the draft regulations on May 11 and it reached us at the eleventh hour. The judge ordered that the process be finalised by May 18, and their failure to work proactively and inclusively has resulted in giving us a period of 48 hours to respond on matters of life and death. Mining communities we work with cannot respond with informed manner nor provide their consent by May 14, which is today!
It is a rushed job and does not constitute meaningful consultation nor negotiating in good faith. If unchecked, it could result in ill health and death of hundreds, if not thousands of infections, which could spiral out of control. We do not wish for this, and hence our urgent intervention for caution, compassion and sober leadership.
We further note that:
The guidelines demand that employees be classified according to their level of risk. Risk not only of being in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 but also in terms of age and chronic diseases, as well as where they work on site.
Importantly, we note that these DMRE guidelines are enforceable as the mining houses will have to route it for preparation, implementation and revision of the COP, section 9 of the Mine Health and Safety Act. This is welcomed, yet we cannot ignore the shortcomings. Whilst it recommends that the mine’s COP must include a dedicated 24-hour number that employees may use to reach the mine’s dedicated healthcare workers contracted to assist with COVID-19, the Foundation is not optimistic when it comes to hotline numbers given our past experience. We ask that these be staffed by persons who are well paid and professional so that the desperate calls are adequately and competently addressed. Too many hotlines result in hot air. What we need is genuine implementation in line with Batho Pele Principles.
It follows that those living near communities, particularly informal settlements, are not considered or included in the guidelines but the reality of their existence is plain to see. Many of those living in the informal settlements surrounding the mines have been driven there by dire poverty and inequality to seek work. Others include employees who have taken the living out allowance offered by mining companies as a result of their failure to provide decent housing for their employees.
Inside job
Whilst workers inside the workplace will be screened on entry to the mine, they are on their own once they exit after their shift. Nothing is said about the fact that infected workers may be asymptomatic for up to 14 days.
Given this reality, how do the employers and government deal with the workers who live in these informal settlements? These mine workers cannot self isolate or quarantine. It is obvious that one cannot self isolate in an informal settlement. How is the patient to obtain water from communal taps, and how will he or she get food? Mining and its impacts do not stop at the company gates.
In addition, as our researcher David van Wyk argues, “given our deep level shaft mines, the centralized ventilation systems will pick this virus and spread it around faster than athletes on steroids. The hot air that is sucked up from below is blasted out on the surface through huge pipes, which in many cases exit in the middle of communities like in Chaneng in Bafokeng. We have the photos to support our claim. Many mines use semi treated sewage or brown water to operate hydraulic rock drills, and studies have found COVID-19 in sewage. What are the guarantees that COVID-19 will not be sprayed all over rock drill operators as they operate their drills underground?”
Migrant Labour
People are surprised by the sudden spike in COVID-19 infections in the Eastern Cape. We are not. Have we forgotten the system of migrant labour that was established under colonialism and continued under apartheid? Well, it lives. At the start of lockdown, thousands of migrant workers hit public transport from the mines in the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga passing through what was then the epicentre of the virus explosion in South Africa, that is, Gauteng. Three to four weeks later the virus is beginning to show its impact. Now migrant workers have been allowed to return from the so called labour sending areas to the North West Province, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. They used public transport, passing through Gauteng. Now we just have to wait between two and four weeks to see the explosion in these provinces. The migrant labour system is the stream that will carry this virus to and fro throughout this country and make it very difficult to contain. Screening on its own fails to contain the virus because most infected people are asymptomatic for the first two weeks and will walk through screening undetected.
The demand to be included in decision-making is not an act of charity but a fundamental right fought and died for in our struggles. The time is not too late to make amends.
Issued by Moses Cloete
Deputy Director of the Bench Marks Foundation
For additional comment, contact:
David Van Wyk + 27 82 652 5061
Hassen Lorgat + 27 82 362 6180
Bench Marks Foundation Media Release – For Immediate Release
There is no ceasefire in the war against the poor and working people during the lockdown
Date of issue – 9 April 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic and the South African lockdown has revealed not only the best of our human emotions but also persistent cases of the war against the poor and working people. We will highlight only a few, but we point out that we are busy with other civil society groups campaigning for the allocation of much needed food, water and sanitation support to those in most need. We join with others to call for persuasion and not brute force in obtaining compliance at this time where our total humanity is challenged. The structural and systemic concentration of the poor and working people was always a powder keg. Now it is a time for compassionate public servants collaborating with citizen volunteers, social movements and people’s organisations, non-governmental organisations and unions to chart a way out of the crisis.
Here under we list a few of the concerns addressed to the authorities and the public. These involve the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), of Environmental Affairs, of Water and Sanitation, as well as the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) as we discuss below:
1. DMRE: a flawed and anti-democratic consultative process
The attempts by the Ministry and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to rush through amendments to the MPRDA within a 30 day period. The deadline for this was 26 March 2020. Since we are in the 21-day lockdown period, it is impossible to effectively obtain mandates from the mining impacted communities. The prohibition on gatherings and travel for “non-essential reasons” limits consultations under these circumstances, as it prevents community based organisations and their civil society partners from engaging meaningfully with the amendments. Hence to keep the original deadline is tantamount to an eviction from these processes. It is not only anti-democratic and unjust, but also goes against the spirit of the solidarity that the president and our government has called for and that we generally support.
2. The issuing of mining licences reflects a business as usual approach!
The Foundation is also concerned about the issuing of new mining permits during the lockdown period. We are of the opinion that there should be a freeze on all licences until after the State of Disaster has been lifted and mine affected and impacted communities can participate in the procedures and processes described in the MPRDA regarding community consultation and participation. If this is not done, any licences issued during this period will have undermined democratic process.
3. Ministry and Department of Environmental Affairs: Hot Air but Little Solidarity
Together with a host of other progressive CSOs, the Bench Marks Foundation is concerned that, instead of using this time of the lockdown to continue to clean up South Africa, our government has done the contrary. Just four days after the president announced the regulations for a national lockdown to fight corona virus, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries gazetted sulphur dioxide (S02) air pollution standards (called minimum emission standards, or MES) that are twice as weak as the previous standards.
Instead of Eskom, Sasol, and other facilities with coal boilers, having to meet the original SO2 standard of 500 mg/Nm3, they will now only be required to comply with MES doubly as weak (1000 mg/Nm3). The new limit applies either from 1 April 2020, or by the delayed dates that these companies have already been given by the National Air Quality Officer.
This has further opened up the vulnerabilities of poor and working people already compromised by the ills caused by mining. The research undertaken by Life After Coal – led by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, groundWork and the Centre for Environmental Rights – has shown that 3,300 premature deaths would be caused by doubling the SO2 standard just for Eskom’s coal-fired power stations, as a result of increased risk of lower respiratory infections, increased risk of stroke, and increased risk of death from diabetes. The Bench Marks Foundation asks why this is necessary if the government claims that it is a compassionate government and calling us all to be there for the other at this time. We ask: why NOW? And who benefits?
4. Department of Environmental Affairs: erroneous judgement at the time of COVID-19
During April, we learned with dismay that the minister has rejected most of appeals made by communities and activist groups for no further beach mining to take place at the Tormin mine on the West Coast north of the Olifants River. Minister Creecy has effectively given the go-ahead to mining. Mining in these sensitive areas is a slippery slope and will not help the country contribute towards creating ecologically sustainable development. We join the Centre for Environmental Rights in warning that the errors of judgement of the Minister, at this time will undermine not only the terrestrial biodiversity but also our democracy as we know it.
5. Ministry and Department of Water and Sanitation and Minerals Council South Africa
We have learned that the DWS is working to meet the historic shortage of adequate water supplies to poor and working communities, as part of the battle against COVID-19. It has been reported that over 41 000 water tanks have been delivered. Mining impacted communities regularly suffer from good quality water supplies, often to benefit of water guzzling mines and industry. We call on the polluters of our water and environmental resources to foot the bill, under the auspices of the Department of Health and DWS for the provision of the water supplies. These must reach the people most in need and we urge the authorities to work with the legitimate representatives of the communities, including voluntary associations, NGOs and unions.
6. Mine Health and Safety Council: to include near mining communities in their coverage
Finally, it would appear that the government does not take seriously its climate change commitments made to citizens and the international community. Climate change is real, and granting licences and ignoring the air quality standards is not the way to go.
On the other hand, we must commend the minister of Mineral Resources’ unannounced inspections of mines to determine the adherence of mining operations to the COVID-19 decrees. We call on the Minister to insist that mine clinics, hospitals and health facilities open to near mine communities and public in general on “living out allowance” and thus, staying in informal settlements and townships where they work.
Whilst we are at it, we are aware that the Mine Health and Safety Council is mandated to ensure transformation of occupational health and safety in the mining industry, working towards “the achievement of Zero Harm to mine workers and mining communities”. Yet in its structures, work programmes and practices, it has ignored ensuring zero harm to mining communities as result of mining activities. This is the time to set this right, as it will mark a real and programmatic turn towards tackling the chronic illnesses that have engulfed communities living around mines. We offer our good offices as well as that of the many mining communities we work with, towards making our participation in the decision-making in the MHSC a reality.
Issued by the Bench Marks Foundation
For additional information contact:
David Van Wyk + 27 82 652 5061
Hassen Lorgat + 27 82 362 6180
For the editors
Additional resources
Life after Coal
Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle is a joint campaign by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, groundWork, and the Centre for Environmental Rights. We aim to: discourage the development of new coal-fired power stations and mines; reduce emissions from existing coal infrastructure and encourage a coal phase-out; and enable a just transition to sustainable energy systems for the people.
https://lifeaftercoal.org.za/
Mine Health and Safety Council
It states it vision as: To be the knowledge leader and trusted advisor to the Minister of Mineral Resources and stakeholders on occupational health and safety matters, and to promote the transformation of occupational health and safety in the mining industry towards the achievement of Zero Harm to mine workers and mining communities.
Partner Organisations: CDT Foundation, South African Council of Churches, Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation, Industrial Mission, Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference / Board of Directors: Rt. Rev. Dr Jo Seoka, Mr. Allan Wentzel, Ds Piet Beukes, Mr. Mokhethi Moshoeshoe, Mr Henk Smith, Ms Sonto Magwaza, Ms Zonke Majodina
Media statement by the Bench Marks Foundation
Protect the land from landgrabbers, Bishop to tell Mining Indaba
Cape Town, Sunday 3 February 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Democratically elected leaders such as cabinet ministers should protect communities from land grabbers. Instead, people’s land continues to be stripped, degraded and ultimately destroyed for profit from mining activities.
This is the hard-hitting message that the Chairperson of the Bench Marks Foundation, Bishop Jo Seoka, will deliver to the African Mining Indaba due to start in Cape Town tomorrow.
In his speech to the Indaba on its sustainable development day on Tuesday 5 February, the Bishop will say: “It is difficult to understand why the minister of mineral resources appears to support foreign invaders of the land to force development for short-term financial benefits instead of sustainable development for the people when they have democratic rights to choose and decide their future.
“All this tells us that the new dawn of President Ramaphosa is nothing but talk, otherwise democratically elected ministers would protect communities and their land from land grabbers.”
The Bishop is encouraged by the inclusion of a sustainable development day in the Mining Indaba, and notes that this is indicative of the increasing importance of the concept of sustainable development in the modern discourse.
“The primary goal of “counter development”, that of sustainable development, is to provide people with the means to make fully informed choices about their own future. Any other form of development, particularly one that is geared towards instant economic benefits, is not sustainable but contributes towards disruption of traditional practices, and promotes social and environmental destruction.
“The way mining is forced on the people as a means of development is discouraging the fullest possible use of local resources, knowledge and skills. But negotiated development until full and informed agreement is reached has the outcome of promoting self-respect and self-reliance, restoring human dignity and upholding the integrity of the environment, thereby protecting life-sustaining diversity and creating the conditions for locally based, truly sustaining development,” he will say in his speech.
The Bishop contrasts traditional economic development with sustainable development: “Despite its potential to contribute towards people’s welfare, economic development fails to promote sustainable small scale decentralised economic enterprises. It only succeeds in creating a dream of a better, richer and more comfortable life. Unfortunately, this illusion manifests itself in an emphasis on commercial gains and material possessions such cellular phones and other gadgets that give impression of wealth, modernity and prosperity. The opposite is, however, true and part of the ample proof that mining is unsustainable. Poverty is never eliminated. However, mining activity leads to the uncontrolled rise squatter communities, environmental destruction becomes worse, and the gap between the poor and the rich widens. The problem is that development alone has become linked to narrow goals of short-term profit and expediency and has been accorded an unwarranted influence in shaping our society.”
In his speech, Bishop Seoka encourages the mining industry to make use of two of Bench Marks Foundation’s products, viz the Independent Capacity Building Fund (ICF) and Independent Problem-Solving Service (IPSS), both of which open possibilities for constructive engagement.
“There are enough examples around the world where mediated dialogue has resolved problems that appeared to be insurmountable. We are more than willing to be of assistance if the objective of government and business is sustainable development. It will be fruitless to coerce people to accept development that under-develops them because there will be resistance to it from communities.”
Earlier in the speech, he refers to several case studies of communities negatively impacted by mining, including that of the Amadiba people of the Xolobeni community in the Eastern Cape.
“The truth of this unfortunate fiasco is the failure of the government officials to listen to the people. There are no records or evidence to show that the Amadiba people do not want development. They have said time and again that they prefer eco-tourism and organic agriculture to mining because it offers them long-term sustainable development compared to mining which is not only destructive but has a short life span of fifteen to twenty years.
“This is their reason for stopping Transworld Energy and Mineral Resources and the state from destroying the natural beauty of this part of the Eastern Cape. The High Court’s recent decision that communities must give their consent to mining activity, rather than merely being consulted about it, was a seminal moment in ensuring better quality of people’s lives.”
Bishop Seoka notes that mining houses will in future have to seek consent from communities for investments that can now only be realised through mutually agreed sustainable development programmes. This approach has the potential to also stop environmental degradation which destroys the land, making it unsuitable for agricultural and stock farming, he says.
Asking whether society wants its children and generations to come to inherit an uninhabitable earth, Bishop Seoka says he doubts this.
“There is enough evidence that investing in society and in sustainable development pays good dividends, is profitable and guarantees a more healthy and just society now and in future. There is no reason, therefore why business such as mining should take short cuts which destroys the mother earth for profit.”
The Bishop adds: “Sustainable development is an approach to development that seeks to create a balance between different and competing needs on the one hand, against an awareness of the environment, social and economic limitations faced by the society on the other.
“Unfortunately, it must be said that mining has had a devastating impact on both communities (human) and environment (nature). We have at our disposal ample evidence that confirms the destructiveness of this activity, and the damage it has caused to both communities and environment.
“Bench Marks’ studies and research through its Policy Gap series has informed us that mining is destructive rather that constructive, increasing our commitment to advocate for sustainable development around the mining communities. If there are no sustainable development programmes that are carefully thought through and implemented, the result can only be regrettable because the future will be bleaker. President Ramaphosa’s new dawn will remain but a dream for the poorest of the poor,” he says.
ENDS
Bench Marks Foundation is an independent non-governmental organisation mandated by churches to monitor the practices of multi-national corporations to
• ensure they respect human rights;
• protect the environment;
• ensure that profit-making is not done at the expense of other interest groups; and
• ensure that those most negatively impacted upon are heard, protected and accommodated within the business plans of the corporations.
The Foundation was launched in 2001 by the Rt Rev Dr Jo Seoka who chairs the organisation and by member churches of the SACC.
Bench Marks Foundation contact:
Bench Marks Foundation media contact
Mr John Capel
Executive Director
011 832 1743 or 082 870 8861
Email: jcapel@eject.co.za
Ruth Coggin
082 903 5819
Email: ruth@quo-vadis.co.za
Johannesburg, Wednesday 28 February 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Bench Marks Foundation has welcomed the appointment of Gwede Mantashe as the minister of mineral resources, adding that he may be the right person to fully grasp the industry and its impacts and listen to the voice of civil society and communities’ concerns.
Executive Director of Bench Marks Foundation, John Capel, says: “The new minister once worked in a mine and, as former general secretary of the ANC, must be aware of the many negative impacts and the winners and losers’ dichotomy.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa sees mining as sunshine industry, but the sun is only for some. Will he be committed to making it a sunshine industry for impacted communities and workers as well?” he asked.
He added: “If the mining sector is to become a ‘sunshine’ industry, it has to search for clean, democratic and empowering alternatives to community involvement. It also has to factor in concerns about water use and climate change.”
“The poor and working people will not accept the obligation of saving the sector, while they die of poverty, marginalisation and illnesses directly related to mining. This externalisation of costs onto people and the environment must come to an end. We trust the new minister will be firm in this regard.
“The Foundation celebrates the recent court “victory” that ensures that mining communities and their organisations will be permitted to participate in drafting the revised mining charter, but we point out that this is but the beginning. The real test is whether mining communities that have since colonial times been systemically excluded from decision making in matters concerning their own lives will have the legal right in the MPRDA to talk for themselves.
“In addition, we believe that participation will be meaningless without the building of strong democratic mass organisations of the poor, with professional and quality technical support provided by the authorities. It follows that, since mining is not a solution for all, nor for all our problems, mining communities must have the right to say ‘no’ to mining and these wishes must be respected.
“Alternative forms of producing livelihoods need to be affirmed and supported by all the resources available in the democratic state. Punishing communities for choosing other developmental paths is anti-democratic and unjust and will be resisted,” the Foundation said.
The Foundation pointed out that mining communities lack information and access to social justice.
“We therefore hope the new minister will support our work in levelling the playing fields between mines and communities. We need to strengthen community’s democratic and constitutional rights. Communities are severely disadvantaged when a mine arrives with promises that mining is investment and investment in them, only to suffer livelihood loss, land and be uprooted or impacted upon when they believed otherwise.
“Thus we have been calling on the industry to support an independent capacity building fund that allows communities access to specialist expertise and advice around environmental impact assessments, social and economic impacts so they can make informed decisions.
“In addition, communities have no real way to resolve problems. In this regard we are establishing the independent problem solving service that will use impartial facilitators to assist communities to resolve problems with the industry. We hope the new minister will be open to listen to a wide range of issues related to interest and impacted groups,” the Foundation said.
ENDS
Bench Marks Foundation is an independent non-governmental organisation mandated by churches to monitor the practices of multi-national corporations to
The Foundation was launched in 2001 by the Rt Rev Dr Jo Seoka who chairs the organisation and by member churches of the SACC.
Bench Marks Foundation contact: | Bench Marks Foundation media contact |
Hassen Lorgat Advocacy and Lobbying 082 362 6180 | Ruth Coggin 082 903 5819 Email: ruth@quo-vadis.co.za |
Media Statement by Bench Marks Foundation
Never Again Marikana: We are watching you
3 October 2013
For immediate release
As much as mining has contributed to developing the South African economy, it has also had negative social, economic and environmental consequences. All of these need to be highlighted, debated, and actions – agreed on by all stakeholders – need to be implemented to mitigate the negative consequences of this essential sector.
So says John Capel, Executive Director of the Bench Marks Foundation, who has announced that a conference will take place on 14 October 2013 at Willow View Lodge in Kempton Park to facilitate this debate.
“The theme for the conference is “Never again Marikana: We are watching you,” says Capel.
“We chose this theme because this tragic event made a huge impact in the mining sector and many others, not least the economy.
“We should never forget the underlying causes and we need to look for ways in which to prevent this from ever happening again.
“We need to find ways to include communities in matters that ultimately affect them, and we also need to discuss the future of mining, not just in South Africa, but worldwide.”
Capel says that people from various sectors, such as business and civil society from South Africa, Africa, Europe and South East Asia, as well as community members directly affected by mining, have already registered to attend the conference.
“To adequately debate the issues and come to a consensus, we strongly urge more mining houses, government departments, non-governmental organisations and businesses attend the conference”.
In addition to the conference, Bench Marks will also be launching another of its studies on 15 October 2013 at the same venue. The last study, A Review of Platinum Mining in the Bojanela District of the North West Province, was launched a few days prior to the Marikana Massacre in August 2012.
For more information on the conference and to register, contact Bench Marks Foundation on 011 832 1743 or send an email to info@bench-marks.org.za.
Notes to editors:
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Bench Marks Foundation is an independent non-governmental organisation mandated by churches to monitor the practices of multi-national corporations to
Archbishop Desmond Tutu launched the Foundation in 2001 and the Rt Rev Dr Jo Seoka chairs the organisation.
Bench Marks Foundation Contact: |
Mr John Capel, Executive Director 011 832 1743 or 082 870 8861 Email: jcapel@eject.co.za |
