Petition signatures

I am posting this invitation to a public meeting as provided by the Spokesperson for the Amapondo King Zanezuko Sigcau. Recognition of competing claims to hereditary traditional leadership in replacing current king and queen Mpondombini Sigcau is awaiting approval to be heard in Constitutional Court at present. In the interim, pressure is building from one of the parties, King Zanezuko, with a call for the amaPondo to support development initiatives that support an Australian company's application to strip mine the magnificent section of beach mineral sands known as Xolobeni; adjacent to Sun International's Wild Coast Sun resort, which has opposed along, with over 24 000 signatories to refuse this harmful development. I have posted a few questions noted Comment on the Call for a "public meeting". Dear All You are humbly advised and invited to AmaMpondo public meeting that will be held on Saturday 3rd November 2012 at Lusikisiki College of Education at 10h00. Background: The discovery of gold that led to the establishment of Witwatersrand/Johannesburg in the late 1800s assisted by the oppressive laws of the day e.g. Land Act of 1913; Group Areas Act of 1950, Bantu Authorities Act of 1951; Pass Law system of 1952; Bantu Education Act of 1953, Homeland Act of 1970 and many other… led to Mpondoland being reduced to nothing but mine reserves for cheap labour. Through these crafted laws to frustrate Blacks AmaMpondo men were the most affected and forced to leave their rural homes to seek employment in Johannesburg and later other mining areas. The marginalization of AmaMpondo/Mpondoland continued even during the Bantustan government until we saw freedom in 1994. COMMENT: In what way does the appointed prince believe that the Amapondo will not again lose their rights to land by granting a few priviledged people in the Black Empowerment Group and the Australian mining group licence to strip mine xolobeni? To what extent does he seriously believe that jobs will be created that will not reduce people to local mine migrant labour now having granted the rights to mine and destroy the environment for foreign capital who don't care what happens to the land? Do we know the history of this companys mining practice in Australia? Since 1994 there was never a major infrastructural development/project in our side of the Eastern Cape (Mpondoland) thus still forcing our people to seek employment in the mines. We have seen massive developments like Coega IDZ in Port Elizabeth, East London IDZ, Mthatha Airport refurbishment and upgrade etc. The recent Marikana Massacre left AmaMpondo with a very sore wound because everyone of us is saying “… in the very 1st place our people were brutally killed it is because there are still very limited employment opportunities back home” and what are we doing to change that? COMMENT: Are you again creating very limited employment opportunities. The mining, the toll road, the bridges (rather than upgrading the existing road system / network) and dams are not intended to benefit the Amapondo but to service the mining activities - to strip mine endemic plants and pristine wilderness that could create tourism in perpetuity for many generations long after titanium has been exhausted, and water supply polluted and used up and electricity sold at below market rates to capital. The local population would be able to engage with tourism, entrepreneurial activities and value added farming and horticulture etc had they had access to electricity or alternative sources or power, and access to water infrastructure? The Public Meeting: AmaMpondo have decided to call iMbuzo (Imbizo) of all AmaMpondo to gather is Lusikisiki… AmaMpondo from the following towns will be bused to the public meeting i.e. Lusikisiki, Flagstaff, Mbizana, Ntabankulu, Mt Ayliff, Port St John’s, Libode & Ngqeleni to come discuss their issues of underdevelopment and unemployment. On the Agenda i.e. 1. N2 Toll Road… it’s been more than 10 years on government and people’s lips that this national road will be built creating tremendous opportunities for tourism and other sectors to create employment opportunities and since then no construction has taken place yet. 2. Mzimvubu Dams… there are 7 dams for Hydro Electricity (4700MW), Major Irrigation Schemes and Water Consumption (10 000 Mil M3) that has been on the cards. During the 2012 State Of the Nation and State Of the Province Address by President Zuma and Premier Kiviet respectively have stated that these projects are taking off but the people on the ground are not abreast with any of the developments and up to date information. 3. Xolobeni Titanium Mine… by popular demand AmaMpondo want to put this on the agenda, it has been trapped on some environmental matters. These are the main things to be addressed with the Minister and SANRAL CEO. I am available for clarity and comment 24/7. Kind regards Prince Phumezile Dinwayo Mpondo Kingdom Spokesperson Mpondo Kingdom 079 295 7235

i have sent you the above publicity for the forthcoming meeting to drum up support for mining, toll roads and dams. You will know what to with it?

There has been an opportunistic revival of the hereditory dispute because current king and queen are perhaps opposed to mining that AmaPondo have resisted since first Australian application to mine in 1950s, and more in favour of democratic participatory processes that sup[port interests of more than foreign mining company and BEE alignment of interests. John Clark has an article for you that may be worth posting on this debate

I would like to categorically state that in in principle we are opposed to the mining of in the Wild Coat. The rest that been written and challenged about the public meeting is nonsense and rubbish and will not dignify with an comment.

Prince Dinwayo has categorically stated that the AmaMpondo King and the people of his kingdom are against strip mining their Wild Coast for titanium. As residents and concerned environmentalists (of every colour and nation) we are very grateful for the outcome of the Mpondo ntlanganiso ("meeting"), and the People's wise decision; especially as It had been touted that the ANC government has deposed Paramount Chief Mpondombini Sigcau in order to force the short-sighted and extremely destructive mining outcome in favour of the applicants. There still remains, however, the threat of the toll road through the delicate greenfields of the Pondoland Centre of Endemism (PCE) that the minister of Environment seems so keen to railroad through. Building begins next year, I hear. Speaking for myself, I might probably like a shorter, faster road route through to Durban. But please, let's not for a second me misled into thinking that it's for the benefit of the amaMpondo. A fenced off, tolled, highway with limited access for the people who's land it divides is designed for only one thing: enriching the public private partnership partners (PPP p). The social impact will be immense! And devastating to the people as well as the environment. Have you ever seen the poor people between Umtentweni and Durban taking their lives in hand just trying to cross the road? And what benefit has it ever brought the residents there? How many taxis will stop mid-route for an off-chance passenger? None. Or very few. They leave the ranks already filled. Any argument that the road is for the benefit of the people who live on the land it will run through is purely fallacious and self serving. How is it fair that the Amampondo must have a toll road while the rest of the country has (reasonably) good and free roads? And how can a high speed "freeway" for people (or trucks enroute from Xolobeni to the smelter in EL) in any way be of any benefit to the people, fauna and flora, who's idyllic paradise the road will divide and destroy? The toll road is the inevitable precursor of strip mining to come. They will devour our beautiful land and impose full destruction upon the Amadiba (and the Mpondo) people in due course, if we allow the toll road to go through. The environment will possibly survive a toll road. The People and their culture will not.