Westonaria – Kaizer Mohapi, John Rapopo, Simao Hele and Sinethemba Ngoni were amongst the first recipients of brand new family units at the Sibanye Gold mine in the West Rand.
The men – together with their wives and children – were amongst 100 families in the Libanon village to be given keys to their new two-bedroom modern family units at the Tswelopele and Lehae Parks complexes when Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu visited the mine on Tuesday.
The hand-over of the family units is part of a bigger housing project – worth R200 million - that has to date provided 812 family units at various mining communities in the Westonaria area.
A separate hostel upgrade project has solved accommodation problems for mineworkers in the area, reducing the hostels’ occupancy rate from six to 10 people sharing a room to an average of 1.2 people per room at the completion of the project.
Shabangu, who was hosted by Sibanye Gold chairperson Sello Moloko and the mine’s CEO Neal Froneman, handed over the houses to the employees of the mine’s Kloof operations near the West Wits area in Westonaria.
Shabangu said the completion of the housing units was part of a struggle that the government has been fighting for many years.
The 100 family units, which altogether cost R31.5 million, were built under the guidelines of the Mining Charter, which compels mining companies to provide mineworkers with decent accommodation options that will, among other things, keep families together and promote home ownership.
“This is about the provisions of the Mining Charter that is required for all employees ... It is about integrating our people into human settlements and bringing back their dignity.
“I would like to say to the company, you will have to contribute to the well-being of the employees … or the company will not be sustainable.
“If companies are not going to contribute to the well-being of their employees, then they are not going to meet their [goal of a] sustainable future. I must say, [the houses] are decent.
“They may be decent, but if they don’t contribute to the feel and the ownership and privacy, then it won’t contribute to the well-being of the employees.”
Each unit has an open plan kitchen and lounge area with two bedrooms and one bathroom equipped with a bath and a toilet.
Shabangu said the company should, as required by the provisions of transformation, move beyond mining villages to providing human settlements where mineworkers will have neighbours of other non-mining companies.
She also called on the mine, along with other mines, to transform and focus on contributing to mining communities to be educated through skills and literacy.
Froneman said the project was an important step in making “meaningful changes” to the living conditions for the mine’s employees.
“We especially want to afford our employees the opportunity to live with their families in communities close to operations.
“Our investment in developing the local communities is a clear sign of confidence that our mining operations will continue to provide significant employment opportunities and economic benefit for many decades to come,” he said.
“As you heard, employees are our most important assets.
“Today as we officially hand over the keys to 100 new residents, we hope they will proudly benefit from the allocations of the houses.
“Again I would just like to say to the recipients, enjoy today. It is a very special day,” Froneman said.
He said Sibanye Gold was committed to development in the area – through education and infrastructure investment. He also said the company has been providing bursaries to children of mineworkers.
Shabangu, meanwhile, said mineworkers often have to go home to see their loved ones, and that due to their inhumane living conditions, they often prevented their children from visiting them at informal mine settlements because they are often “ashamed” and do not want their children to see how they live.
After receiving keys to his new house, an emotional Rapopo said getting a new family unit would solve his financial problems.
“I started working for this company in 2005. I had a problem with transport, travelling to work each and every day. One day I just decided to wake up and go to the housing department to go put my name down to let them know that I needed a house.
“Today I am a happy man. I will be able to bring my family to come stay with me,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
