Community divided over reopening of Lily and Barbrook mines

Controversy continues to surround Vantage Goldfields’ CEO Mike McChesney’s announcement that Lily and Barbrook mines would be reopened by the second half of this year.

According to the former Lily mineworkers’ spokesperson, Harry Nhlanhla Mazibuko, the many failed attempts to reopen the mine in the past have left its former employees with no confidence in McChesney’s statement.

This is based on the number of times Vantage Goldfields has abandoned attempts by business rescue practitioners (BRPs) to put in place deals that would have seen the mines reopened since a shaft collapsed in 2016.

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“We respect the BRP processes, but we have since lost trust in McChesney’s willingness to reopen the mines. Since August 2016, a number of agreements were penned and cancelled by Vantage Goldfields,” said Mazibuko.

McChesney refuted these assertions. He said, “All commercially viable and plausible proposals relating to the companies in business rescue are dealt with by the business rescue practitioners according to the prescribed legal frameworks.

“As is well known, no plausible proposals have been received to date.”

He also denied any wrongdoing.

He said: “Vantage dismisses any and all allegations and insinuations of improper or criminal conduct on the part of Vantage or any of its directors and officers.”

Mazibuko further asserted that these are viewed by the former employees as delaying tactics.

McChesney responded that Vantage Goldfields does not employ delaying tactics and added that it remained committed to reopening the mines as early as possible to ensure job creation and “addressing proper claims for financial redress in accordance with approved business rescue proceedings”.

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“In 2019, Vantage Goldfields entered into another agreement with 100 per cent black-owned Real Win Investments without offering us any explanation as to who they were and how they planned to reopen the mines,” said Mazibuko.

Subsequent to this, another agreement was struck with Salamander Mining and Lion’s Bay Mining Corporation that did not materialise, according to Mazibuko.

He added that Macquarie Metals and Mining bought 98 per cent of the shareholding at Vantage Goldfields last year.

“Mike McChesney and Steven Turner hold directorship at Macquarie, which means that the pair of them are, in essence, selling the mine to themselves.”

Mazibuko lamented the protesting ex-mineworkers’ exclusion from any communication with Vantage Goldfields and claimed that, at the time the decision was made to reopen the mines, McChesney met with fewer than 20 community members who were not directly affected by the 2016 tragedy.

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Since then, accusations have been made that Mazibuko and the other protesters were delaying the process of reopening the mine, a claim he vehemently denies.

“We do not trust anything Vantage Goldfields says because of our experiences with them in the past. We maintain respect for the BRP process.

“Once the mine is reopened, McChesney will face prosecution as it was found that Vantage Goldfields was liable for the collapse.”

Mazibuko and the families of Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyarenda, and other former employees, have been camped outside Lily Mine in protest and have faced, among others, a bomb detonation near the camp.

Mazibuko and the rest said they fear for their lives as it appears that the situation is turning political.

“Our position is not a political one, we speak on behalf of the community affected by the mine closure.”

With the commemoration date of the Lily Mine tragedy looming, Mazibuko and the group have vowed not to be part of this year’s ceremony after what he termed “political interference” at last year’s.

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McChesney’s announcement has divided the community, and various factions have emerged. Each blames the next for the delays in reopening the mines.

Mazibuko and a number of other role players told of death threats received and kickbacks paid to outsiders, pitting the community against itself.

Fikile Magagula, Ward 30 councillor, told Lowvelder of allegations against her; that she had attended meetings with McChesney which excluded the protesters.

“It is untrue. I work for the community and in that capacity attended one meeting in August last year to discuss a way forward to see the mine reopened, the container retrieved and our people back at work.”

Lily Mine’s former BEE partner, Captain John Mabaso, insisted that the way forward is for all affected parties to engage with each other to ensure that the reopening of both mines is not delayed any longer.

“The situation in this community is dire right now. Many people have died since the tragedy, others are divorced, have lost property, fallen ill or are out of work.

“The community is neglected and divided and all who support the reopening should come together,” he said, adding that it is important that the former employees be re-employed and that the communities of Sheba Siding, Mashayane, Louieville, Makhonjwana and Matsulu benefit from the reopening.

This article was republished from Lowvelder with permission 

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