Amnesty International SA and Centre for Applied Legal Studies took mining company to task regarding its social labour plan
August 16 was the 10th anniversary of the deadly clash between Lonmin miners and police at Marikana in Rustenburg in the North West.
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
Sibanye-Stillwater says it is committed to contributing to reparations for those who were “and continue to be” affected by the tragic events of the 2012 Marikana massacre.
The company was commenting on a statement by Amnesty International SA and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies released on Tuesday, the 10th anniversary of the clash between Lonmin miners and police.
The organisations criticised implementation of Lonmin's social labour plan (SLP), which Sibanye-Stillwater had agreed to honour after it acquired Lonmin’s operations in 2019.
They said in the 2006 SLP 1, Lonmin had committed to building 5,500 houses for its migrant employees but had only built three. Further, it said in 2014, Lonmin submitted a revised SLP committing to building “infill apartments”, apartment blocks built in between buildings.
“Lonmin only produced 1,240 apartments under this project, despite that the company’s 2013 SLP had indicated there was an opportunity for construction of 4,000 units over the next five years.”
In response, Sibanye group manager of properties for SA Platinum Group Metals, Fritz Jooste, said the organisations were correct about the SLPs but their timeline was the issue. In SLP 1 Lonmin committed to 5,500 units, which would be financed between Lonmin financiers and external financiers.
“Then the 2008 global economic crisis hit; that's where it fell apart — the financiers pulled out — and so only three of the units were built. These were the show houses,” he said.
Jooste said an initial survey revealed that miners wanted ownership of their homes and that was where the 5,500 number comes from. But a second survey in 2013 showed there was a greater need for rental housing as many miners had homes away from the mine.
Instead of building the 5,500 homes, they embarked on building 4,000. But by this time, the 2013 SLP funds only allowed them to build 1,240 apartments.
Jooste said they also completed the conversion of 20 hostel blocks from single-sex to family accommodation, while a further 2,658 accommodation units were built “by government for employees and local community members”.
Executive vice-president of stakeholder relations at Sibanye-Stillwater, Thabisile Phumo, said the precious metals company was working with local organisations and stakeholders who monitor their progress.
“Part of the engagement is to work with the people of Marikana to deliver working solutions together with them. If there are other stakeholders like Amnesty [International and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies], they are welcome to assist us to close those gaps and to be part of the solution to problems. [An end to the problems] is a long way off, but we have the right intention,” said Phumo.
Outlining developmental projects in the area, the government said this week that Sibanye-Stillwater has donated 50ha of land worth R80m to the Rustenburg local municipality to build houses for Marikana residents.
The human settlements department has a R700m housing project in Marikana, with several housing units already built for the distressed mining community around the Nkaneng informal settlement in Marikana. Bulk infrastructure was also installed. However, 511 housing units in Marikana “were regrettably illegally occupied before they could be handed over to the qualifying beneficiaries”.
Sibanye-Stillwater, in partnership with the basic education department, built the Marikana Combined School. Marikana 1 and 2 primary schools were built by Lonmin and the department for pupils within the mining areas. Marikana Secondary School was completed in 2020, said the government.
Sibanye-Stillwater said the company is also involved in building homes for 16 widows. Eight had been finalised and another eight are being built in locations selected by the women, including the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, the North West, the Northern Cape and Lesotho.
The company added it has a R3.9bn capital investment in the Marikana K4 project which it says will sustain jobs for the next 50 years.
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