Some Limpopo voters criticise mining companies for allegedly ignoring corporate social responsibility

JANE FURSE - There’s been little movement at various voting stations across the Sekhukhune District Municipality in Limpopo as the Electoral Commission (IEC) leads its final voter registration drive.

However, residents there have criticised mining companies operating in the area for allegedly ignoring their corporate social responsibility.

This was one of the concerns raised by registered voters in the Jane Furse community on Saturday morning, who spoke to Eyewitness News outside several voting stations.

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They lambasted the mining sector in their town for not employing community members who continue to live in poverty.

In July 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa said there was a need to establish mining academies in Sekhukhune to equip young people with the necessary skills to work at mines in the area.

The president promised disgruntled residents that he’d ensure government worked with mining companies to develop the academies, which would also form part of their corporate social investments.

However, with the general elections fast approaching, a Jane Furse resident, Paul Matlala, said government and the private sector were not treating the matter with urgency.

“As the community, we are not really happy with the corporate social investments. They are not really giving back to the community. Check what the mines are getting vis-à-vis what the community is getting.”

Seventeen-year-old Pholosho Magome, who is not eligible to vote in 2024, said while there were several mines in Sekhukhune, he doubts that he’d find a job after completing his studies.

“There are many young people in my area who’ve completed their studies, yet they’re jobless. Some have even resorted to working in spaza shops because jobs are scarce here.”

But both residents agreed that the only way to change the status quo was to take concerns to the ballots, but statistics showed that people there would rather opt to abstain from voting.