Row brews as minister mulls go-ahead

From www.iol.co.za

August 16 2009 at 06:51PM

The dispute over community consent for Xolobeni Mineral Sands Project is hotting up as Minerals and Energy Minister Susan Shabangu considers granting the final go-ahead.

The plans are to excavate 346 million tons of titanium and other heavy minerals along a 22m stretch of the Wild Coast below Port Edward.

Mining it will generate R560-million yearly, with R42m to be spent on local salaries each year and R2,9-billion going to the government.

But conservationists are protesting because the mineral area lies in a vast, unspoilt wilderness region that offers considerable ecotourism potential.

This article was originally published on page 6 of Cape Argus on August 16, 2009

Comment:
Important to note that not just environmentalists, but hundreds of members of the community attended the protest march last year, including many elders, the headman, and other prominent community leaders. As if more proof was needed, even King Mpondomise and the Royal House are against the proposed strip mining.

Click on the pic to view the article.

See also: Minister admits consultation process ‘flawed’

and Questions hover over Wild Coast mining deal amongst other updates and info at www.wildcoast.com/xolobeni.

Comments

let this minister and her cronies know that there will be BLOOD if they continue with their plan.We the people of the area do not want any mining to take place.Never has mining ever brought any development to the people,but suffering. In south africa as i speak we have gold,diamond,platinum and uranium mining happening but that does not benefit the poor of this country except for a few corrupt individuals and international companies.We have had enough of this nonsense.Years back people were moved from their land to build the wildcoast casino.The only people who benefitted were Sol Kerzner and company.You just need to drive past wildcoast casino towards Bizana to appreciate the conditions underwhich the displaced people leave,all crammed near the main road.These are people who used to have land to grow and farm livestock.All that is gone now thanks to empty promises of development. They must leave our land alone.

I so agree with Anonymous........but more that just what has been said, the Wild Coast is a beautiful and untouched part of our country! We certainly dont want the Wild Coast to become another KZN SOuth or North Coast where the beauty has become one development after another on top of each other! I think that the Wild Coast needs to be protected and kept as is! I have been going to the WIld Coast basically all my life and would like to share this beautiful place with my children one day as well as my grandchildren. Please protect our coastline from power hungry money lovers!!! KT

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