MEDIA EVENT ADVISORY MACUA PRESS BRIEFING Date: Today, Thursday 29 August 2013 Time: 12h30 Place: Entrance to Sandton Convention Centre where the Mining Lekgotla is taking place PICKETS Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) are picketing outside the Mining Lekgotla organised by the Chamber of Mines. They were promised entry but have been locked out and will be briefing the media on this later today. The pickets, attended by MACUA members representing communities from North West, Limpopo, Free State, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces have been on-going during the course of the Mining Lekgotla and are aimed at calling on its organisers to broaden the scope of engagement on the future of mining in South Africa to include the organised formations of mining affected. LOCK-OUT “The Chamber of Mines has not lived up to its promises and continues to keep mining affected communities out of the conversation. They told us and the media yesterday that there is space for members of MACUA and AMCU in the Lekgotla, but then denied them entrance ‘because they were wearing T-shirts and not suits’.” says Christopher Rutledge, ActionAid South Africa Mining and Extractives Coordintor. MACUA says: “Nothing about us without us.” MACUA contacted the Lekgotla organisers in March of 2013 but did not receive a response until after they were notified of the intention to picket at the Mining Lekgotla. This prompted the Chanber of Mines to meet MACUA to discuss the inclusion of communities, which they have now reneged on. MACUA has interpreted the Chamber of Mines’ action as having negotiated in bad faith. MACUA calls on the media to provide fair coverage of the issues relating to mining affected communities and to ensure that their voices, views and lived experiences inform all debates on the impacts and future of mining in South Africa CONTACT INFORMATION ActionAid spokes person: Christopher Rutledge Mining Extractives Coordinator Actionaid South Africa Mob: +27 (0) 82 784 3333 Email: [email protected] MACUA Contacts: Gauteng: Toto Nzamo : Tel: 0783520882 totzamisto@gmail Free State: Mpai Nkali: Tel: 0725921921 mpainompi@yahoo North West: Chris Molebatsi: Tel: 0713782540 [email protected] Mpumalanga: Matthews Hlabane: Tel: 0827079860 mnyeva@gmail Limpopo: Brandt Ntako: Tel: 0826281362 [email protected]
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 06:34:21 +0000
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