Question NW3852 to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
18 November 2022 - NW3852
Siwisa, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
Considering that mining companies are demolishing houses in Merafong City Local Municipality instead of donating such houses to the community, due to the shortage of residential availability, what are the reasons that he is allowing this to happen instead of donating houses to the Department of Human Settlements in order to deal with the shortage of houses?
Reply:
Sibanye Stillwater has a mining right for Driefontein operations which is located within the Merafong Local Municipal jurisdiction. The mine has four (4) mining villages under this mining right namely; Letsatsing, Phomolong, East village and West village. These villages comprise of approximately 1 367 housing units collectively currently occupied by the mine employees. The mine is currently negotiating with the Merafong Local Municipality (“MCLM”) to donate its mining village’s under Driefontein operations to the Municipality. These villages are earmarked for demolishing if they are not taken over by the local authority and be incorporated into the municipality’s Spatial Development Framework (SDF) and formalised.
The mine has only demolished houses it deems to be posing serious danger to locals as these houses may be unsafe for occupation and or may harbour criminals and criminal activities. These are mostly houses that have been vandalised and or illegally occupied by amongst others illegal miners.