Richards Bay terminal
Mining giant Rio Tinto has again “curtailed” production at its Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) operations because of a fresh outbreak of violence sparked by tension around a decade-long dispute over the chieftainship in the area.
Last week the company decided to “temporarily curtail operations” after buses carrying its employees to work were shot at on Tuesday after several days of community protests aimed at forcing the provincial government to appoint an inkosi for the Mbuyazi clan.
A source at the smelter RBM operates at KwaMbonambi outside Richards Bay said the company had halted operations completely for several days but was now running only during daylight hours because of the fear of further attacks.
On Friday, RBM communications head Thembakazi Skenqa said RBM would “maintain a level of curtailment” over the next few days before deciding on whether to resume full production at its four mines and the smelter it operates in the area.
“A bus carrying RBM employees was shot at as part of ongoing community protests on access roads around RBM operations. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the shooting incident has had a significant impact on RBM’s people on operations,” Skenqa said.
The attack took place during the early hours of Tuesday morning when a staff bus was ambushed on its way to the smelter, which operates 24 hours a day.
Skenqa said the Rio Tinto subsidiary had scaled back operations to ensure the safety of its employees and assets while it “engages stakeholders to find a swift and agreeable solution to the situation”.
The company, which produces mainly titanium dioxide slag, would wait for the area to calm down, because it would “like to see further extended levels of stability before this decision is revised”.
Conflict in the area began after the provincial government stripped then inkosi Sibusiso Mbuyazi of his title in 2010, installing his half-brother Mkhanyiseni and sparking a decade of court battles that effectively delayed the payment of more than R170-million due to the clan as part of a land claim paid by RBM.
Mbuyazi’s widow Sithembile Mbuyazi went to court to successfully oppose her husband’s removal and to fight for the right to act as regent on behalf of their minor son. She has, however, fled the area because of death threats and has been awaiting the resolution of the issue by the provincial government.
A history of violence
Since 2010, conflict in the community has increased, with a wave of killings claiming the lives of community members, leaders of the clan and two senior RBM employees — human resources manager Ronny Nzimande and operations manager Nico Swart, who was shot dead on his way to work last May.
Senior Mbuyazi clan members, including Meshack Mbuyazi and Judea Mbuyazi, have also been murdered, as have members of a local youth organisation who have been mobilising around the chieftainship and to secure the participation of young people in jobs and businesses associated with the mine.
After Swart’s murder and a wave of attacks on RBM property, the company then halted operations, threatening to pull out of South Africa over the disruptions to production, which have prevented the opening of a new R6.6-billion mine, Zulti South, aimed at extending its lifespan by about 25 years.
It reopened after an intervention by KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala, who undertook to resolve the traditional leadership dispute and appointed a negotiator, advocate Comfort Ngidi. However, Ngidi died from Covid-19, fueling another wave of instability.
Last week co-operative governance MEC Sipho Hlomuka met with community forums, youth groups and other interest groups in the area and promised to resolve the leadership issue and install an inkosi by the end of January.
“[Co-operative governance and traditional affairs] said they will resolve the chieftaincy issue by 26 January. They will give the royal family the outcome on 28 January and they will close the process by briefing the community on 2 February,” according to a source.
“That is the programme they have agreed to so far. If they keep their word, it will definitely help the situation here. We have been in trouble here. The provincial authorities have not been willing to resolve the issue of KwaMbonambi. We have been leaderless and thugs have been doing what they want here,” the source added.
Lennox Mabaso, spokesperson for Zikalala, said that the issue was being dealt with by Hlomuka and that the leadership impasse would be resolved.
Hlomuka’s spokesperson, Senzo Mzila, had not responded to queries from the Mail & Guardian at the time of publication.
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