NC red tape blocks mining-related development

1 April 2022

Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English &  Afrikaans by Willie Aucamp, MP.

Government must stop standing in the way of the rezoning of land in Aggeneys for the development of 4000 houses to support the international investment in Vedanta Mine in Gamsberg.

While President Cyril Ramaphosa and Premier Zamani Saul have made much ado about the additional investment of R7 billion into Vedanta mine, their words ring hollow. This, as government has been stalling since 2015 on the straightforward rezoning of land already belonging to Vedanta, for a housing development to support those benefitting from jobs emanating from the mine expansion.

This again came to light this week during oversight to the area by the National Council of Provinces.

Currently, due to the lack of accommodation in Aggeneys, many employed on the mines have to travel between 200 km and 140 km to and from Springbok or Pofadder each day, to get to work. In addition, Eskom and other bulk infrastructure related limitations in Pofadder, do not currently allow for further development in this town. The situation is increasingly unsustainable, especially given the massive increase in job opportunities that are due to accompany the mining investment.

It is absurd that government, for reasons known only to itself, is hindering the development of thousands of houses that will be able to accommodate approximately 16 000 people, that will come at no cost to government.

The DA will push for the rezoning to go ahead in parliament.

If government is really as intent on growing the local economy as it claims, then it must put its money where its mouth is and bypass the red tape that seems to be hampering job-creating development and a significant improvement in the lives of the people of the Northern Cape.

Issued by Willie Aucamp, DA Member of the NCOP, 1 April 2022