A damning new report published by Human Rights Watch has uncovered that not only were Xolobeni residents barred from protesting against proposed mining activities, but were also victimised and threatened with death.
The report, published on Tuesday, also fingers law enforcement agencies and municipalities as “imposing burdens” on protest organisers by placing legal hurdles in front of them before protests.
Human Rights Watch, environmental justice group groundWork, the Centre for Environmental Rights and Earthjustice all contributed to the report, which also makes numerous recommendations to the energy department, department of co-operative governance & traditional affairs and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
The report – which details threats and other forms of intimidation in mining-affected communities in Xolobeni, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, Limpopo and the North West – concludes that activism is under attack, especially in cases from mining-affected communities.
Australian company Mineral Commodities Ltd (MCL) started its perilous endeavour to mine the titanium-rich dunes of Xolobeni on the Wild Coast some 16 years ago.
Researchers said MCL and/or directors or employees of other companies had active defamation lawsuits against eight activists and lawyers in relation to remarks made concerning mines, including Xolobeni.
The research also cites the 2016 killing of anti-mining activist Sikhosiphi “Bazooka” Rhadebe, who led the Amadiba Crisis Committee and community against titanium mining proposed by MCL.
The report describes a number of patterns to have emerged:..