Northern Cape residents, mining community get new houses

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Pretoria – Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu says mining companies should invest more in communities where they operate, so that they will one day leave them better than they found them.

Speaking in Richards Bay on Thursday, Shabangu said mining houses should always strive to uplift communities in which they are operating.

She said this when she went to the area to hand over a housing project worth R9.6 million to residents in Mbonambi and Sokhulu.

Shabangu gave some 20 families keys to their new homes as part of projects that were completed by Richards Bay Minerals (RBM).

“A company like RBM should ensure that communities where it mines are better off than when it started operating here 37 years ago,” she said.

Shabangu’s call is in-line with the regulatory obligations of the Mining Charter, which requires mining houses to “contribute towards the socio-economic development of the areas in which they are operating and areas where they are sourcing labour from”.

As part of her visit, Shabangu also inspected an agricultural facility and opened a technical high school specialising in mechanical and electrical engineering, and said that the housing project would also assist child-headed households.

RBM has also built an agricultural project worth R3.3 million, as well as a R2.8 million furnished technical workshop, transforming a rural high school into a mechanical and electrical engineering facility, which compares with the best technical high schools and FET colleges. The company will spend about R150 million in social labour projects over the next five years, focusing on the Richards Bay area.

“We are proud today to create opportunities for our young people to be better skilled, so they can become contributors to the growth and development of the South African economy,” Shabangu said.

Shabangu also commended RBM for embracing transformation by appointing a black South African, Mr Mpho Mothoa, as head of its mining operations in SA.  She also challenged other companies to emulate the mine.

Northern Cape residents given houses

Meanwhile, 419 housing units were given to residents of Lerato Park in Kimberley, Northern Cape, also on Thursday.

This is part of the government’s Informal Settlements Upgrading Programme which, once completed, will provide just over 4 000 housing units in the area.

Speaking before she handed over the houses, Human Settlements Deputy Minister Zou Kota-Fredericks said: “Where we stand right now used to be an informal settlement since 1987, and today we are seeing and telling a different good South African story that this government delivers to the people.” – SAnews.gov.za