Rains distorted a peaceful march on February 15, 2019 that sought to confront mine managers in the John Taolo Gaetsewe region. The protest was organised by the African National Congress Youth League wing in the region where mine managers or representatives were invited to meet at the John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality and receive a petition and probably curriculum vitae for prospective job seekers in the region. Some managers who heeded the clarion call to attend the meeting had to leave as rains disrupted all the proceedings as a negligible number of people attended.

In a brief interview with the regional chairperson of the youth league, Mr Tumelo Mogohu, he said that the scope of the meeting was to let mine managers come and collect details (CVs) for the employment aspiring youths in the region.

“The department of labour does not respond to the plight of young people in the region because it dwells on the broad national database. There is no relevant skills development in the region as the same mines claim shortage of skill is the main problem locals can’t be employed. That rhetoric has to come to an end because the abundant resources churned out of these mines can capacitate our youths while these mines remain buoyant in their dividend pursuit.

This time we are saying it can’t be business as usual if we are not taken seriously. We want a training college that specifically deals with mine-related courses to narrow the gap between imported labour and local youths. Johannesburg is what it is today because of the proceeds derived from this region’s mineral wealth.

The community is on record claiming that Kuruman is deprived of benefits derived from the mineral wealth in the region while the same resources are only allowed to illuminate Johannesburg’s glory and other cities.  Hence, we want a clear paradigm shift in doing and thinking by all the mining houses where the community is given an equitable share of its rightful wealth through employment and improved infrastructure”, he clamoured.