The history of mining in SA is littered with a catalogue of stories of betrayal, but nothing compares to the government's failure to enforce its own rules by allowing companies to operate with impunity.
While there is no denying that mining has actually contributed to the creation of millions of jobs over the years, its legacy continues to be blemished by exploitation, negative effect to the environment and lack of development of mining communities.
On Tuesday, a report released by civil society organisations Amnesty International SA, Centre for Applied Legal Studies and the Sekhukhune Combined Mining-Affected Communities, reinforced the belief that some mining companies have been allowed to operate with impunity.
Astonishingly, the report found that the department of mineral resources and energy has been complicit in failing to enforce social and labour plans (SLPs) to ensure mining companies kept their word on how communities affected would benefit from their activity. This endless betrayal means that projects such as provision of water and sanitation to schools that many rural communities so desperately need, were not done.
This while mining companies continue to rip huge benefits from mineral deposits and reserves. According to Louis Snyman from the Centre for Applied Legal Studies, the state's failure to ensure compliance not only leads to the violation of the rights of the affected people, but "creates an untenable situation in which companies have free rein to do as they please".
We have to ask then why would it be in the best interest of the state not to enforce their own rules?
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the very same government that shamefully set the target so woefully low for transformation with a mining charter and subsequently failed to put mechanisms to monitor compliance has been found wanting again.
But as the story unfolds with never ending duplicities, we should be alarmed that a government elected by the people would turn a blind eye to their suffering and despair. The courageous work of the civil society organisations involved in the report will not wipe the tears of the people of Sekhukhune away but it will go a long way in exposing this failure and highlight their struggles.
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