Protesters demand jobs from mine
“If they don’t give us jobs today, we are shutting this mine down,” says community youth leader Refilwe Manyaka.
Residents in Slovo Park are outraged about Canyon Coal’s alleged refusal to employ them.
Protesters gathered peacefully outside the mine yesterday morning where the mine manager and SAPS members were present.
According to community youth leader Refilwe Manyaka, management told them that they will open the mine in April.
“We are tired of whatever it is they are doing, we feel that they are doing it illegally.
“Several times we have spoken to them in our community where they made us promises they did not fulfil.
“Today we are here because we were told that this coal is no longer proper to be used and they will shut down this mine in April.
“Now they are hiring people from elsewhere and not people from the community.
“Today we are here just to tell them that we are seeking jobs and we are tired of what they are doing,” says Manyaka.
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The community leader threatened that if they weren’t given jobs today, they were going to shut the mine down today.
Manyaka continued to say this was not the first time they have complained and that all they wanted was to speak to the mine manager and as they don’t understand how the mine was operating with offices and were allegedly told the coal was tested and failed to meet the required standards.
Many residents present at the mine complained that foreigners are favoured for jobs and they feel left out.
“We are not here to vandalise anything, we are just here to tell them that as the youth in the community, we need jobs.
“We want them to come to us and address the whole community,” says Manyaka.
The mine is currently operational.
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Mine manager Michael Seme says there was no space for employment at the moment.
He also disputed the fact that the coal had been tested and failed and says they are still testing the coal and maybe by end of June would get a final report on the quality of the coal.
“If the results of the coal come back positive, we can start employing people from the community.
“They still have to build an office, workshop and everything.”
Although there was a police presence, the protest remained peaceful.
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