LIMPOPO COMMUNITY & JUBILEE MOKOPANE STOP THE OPERATION OF 27 PROSPECTING RIGS OF PLATREEF RESOURCES TODAY 30 AUG 2011
URGENT ALERT ISSUED BY JUBILEE MOKOPANE (JUBILEE SOUTH AFRICA)
30 August 2011, 13h30
Contact: Phillipos Dolo +27 (0) 73 789 2489, Lesiba Lamola +27 (0) 76 624 4371
TODAY the community of Mosesetjane outside Mokopane, Limpopo, South Africa, has successfully demanded the stoppage of 27 prospecting rigs owned by PlatReef Resources, according to the community. The action is being done in conjunction with Jubilee Mokopane, using several different pickets of 15 people at each prospecting rig.
The police were called and responded, but they did not respond with violence. The community members are waiting for the management overseeing the prospecting rigs who are on their way to the area.
The community and Jubilee Mokopane demand the following of PlatReef Resources:
1) PlatReef Resources and any Subcontractors must immediately stop prospecting
2) The rigs must be taken off the community’s land
3) IF PlatReef or any other company or entity wants to prospect on their land, they must go through the proper channels to get the consent of the entire community, not just the traditional leader without the community’s consent.
The Mokopane and Mapela areas of Limpopo are experienced intensive expansion of prospecting, outside the area already dominated by Anglo Platinum’s Mogalakwena Mine (formerly PPL).
Platreef Resources is a subsidiary of Ivanhoe Mines (Pty) Ltd., which has come under fire by Mining Watch Canada in Burma.
In a quick online PlatReef Resources is a subsidiary of Ivanhoe Mines. RIO TINTO, one of the largest mining multinationals in the world which is often accused of running roughshod over mineral-rich communities, is a 48.5% owner of Ivanhoe. The community members need all the support they can get, please sms messages of support and phone them as they shut down a Rio Tinto/Platreef/Ivanhoe operation!
For more information please phone Mr. Lesiba Lamola (Mosesetjane) at +27 (0) 76 624 4371, Phillipos Dolo (Jubilee Mokopane Coordinator) +27 (0) 73 789 2489, or George Dor (General Secretary, Jubilee SA) +27 (0) 76 460 9620.
For background on the relationship between the two companies, see http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11098.