Environmental groups in South Africa are calling on the government to take action after the assassination of an anti-mining activist in KwaZulu-Natal. Fikile Ntshangase, 65, was shot and killed shortly after four men were seen entering her home on the evening of Thursday 22 October 2020. Ms Ntshangase was a prominent member of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation, which is involved in a long-running dispute with the owners of the Tendele Coal Mine over the impact of the mine on local communities as well as a planned expansion of the project.
Representatives of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation are expected to appear at the Supreme Court of Appeal for a hearing on the expansion of the mine, to which they are opposed. Members of the organisation have come under pressure to withdraw the case, with some apparently considering not attending the hearing, although Ms Ntshangase had remained firm in her resolve, fuelling suspicions that her murder was connected to the case.
The Tendele Coal Mine is currently seeking to expand as the area of current excavation is nearly exhausted. This will involve the relocation of people dwelling in the area into which the mine seeks to expand. This has been an ongoing process, with families having been relocated since 2007, and although compensation has been paid to communities that have been resettled, there have been disputes over the size of payments, with the mining company claiming some groups of building extra, 'dummy', buildings in order to gain extra payments.
This has led to some families refusing to move to make way for the mine expansion, claiming they had not been consulted about this expansion, and have faced intimidation for refusing to move. Their case has been taken up by the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation, which has raised concerns about the way in which the whole mine expansion project is being carried out, noting a consistent lack of public consultation, and failure to implement environmental measures at the mine.
Particulate matter and noise escaping from the mine is reported to have affected the nearby Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, which has seen declined in the populations of Elephants, Rhinoceros, and Crocodiles, making the park less attractive to tourists, and therefore threatening the jobs of people employed there.
The owners of the Tendele Mine have strenuously denied being involved in the intimidation of environmental and community groups. Furthermore, they are a major employer in the region, and support a range of projects important to the local population. However, they have made a number of statements to the effect that jobs will be lost and investment in local projects will have to be cut if they are not able to expand, something which environmental groups claim is inciting violence against opponents of mine expansion in an area where work is often precarious.
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