Hundreds of marchers belonging to various environmental lobby groups marched to the Union Buildings in Tshwane on Tuesday morning to highlight the plight of human rights defenders.
They march from Marabastad Old bus depot to Union Buildings holding placards, singing and dancing and calling for justice for human rights defenders.
Several organisation joined the march.
When they get to Union Buildings, they place photos of the human right defenders who were killed and also left flowers next to their photos.
Human rights defenders are activists who challenge mining companies for their shenanigans at various communities where they carry out mining activities.
It has been reported that human rights defenders are often killed, sometimes intimidated while at other times they get imprisoned on trumped up charges due to their activism.
Leah Chaba from IPID and Shonisani Mudau from the presidency sign and received a memorandum and promise to respond.
Member of the Centre for Environmental Rights Thami Nkosi told Tshwane Talks that the government must do something drastic to protect the lives of whistleblowers and human rights defenders who stand up for the rights of communities who are affected by activities of mining companies, which are illegal in many instances.
About 114 human rights defenders have been killed in various communities countrywide, apparently at the instigation of greedy mining bosses.
Some of the marcher’s demands include the following:
1.The immediate prosecution of those who have killed human rights defenders.
2.The NPA must apply due diligence to make sure that the said killers are successfully protleecuted.
3. The government must develop a legal framework to make sure that human rights defenders are protected.
“The killing of human rights defenders is a scourge which we feel must be nipped in the bud by the government,” lamented Nkosi.
He pointed out that one of their biggest concerns was that mining bosses coerce communities by falsifying information to give the impression that communities have agreed to their mining activities in their areas.
“We are calling upon the mining company bosses to be transparent and to include the various communities in their activities because one can’t just get into another person’s house and start making one’s own rules, the communities must be consulted and due diligence must be done as to what the benefits of the local communities will be, how their living conditions will be improved, because in most cases mining companies just do the mining and subsequently leave local surrounding communities worse off ,” explained Nkosi.
“Our call is that mining companies must get into the communities, involve the communities and negotiate with communities as prescribed by Section 24 of the Constitution before embarking on their mining activities at any given community,” he said.
Middleburg Social and Environmental Justice Alliance member Pertunia Nompumelelo Ndlovu told Tshwane Talks that she joined the march in solidarity against the killings, harassment and attacks of her fellow human rights defenders.
“We want to paint a picture to the government which will show that as human rights defenders we need protection at all times and we need to be free in our movements knowing that there is no harm directed at us, and this will allow us to continue with our struggle against the injustices of mining conglomerates, without fear,” she said.
Ndlovu said though in recent times there hasn’t been any killings of human rights defenders in her area, there are still many cases of human rights defenders who were killed in the past in the Middleburg area, and no one has been arrested or charged in this regard.
Mzwakhe Mnisi, who also comes from Middleburg, said he joined the march as he wants a better life for his community and has hopes that the march would deliver positive outcomes for his community and other mining communities countrywide.
He said last year at around September/October they marched to the Union Buildings to deliver the selfsame demands, but up to this far there hasn’t been any response from the government.
He said come what may, they as environmental activists won’t tire in their efforts to get justice for mining communities and also ensure that human rights defenders are protected.
“This is one of the painful memorandums I have ever received in my 17 years of my experience here.
We are happy to avail ourselves to receive the memorandum and within the specific date that you have mention we will give you an acknowledgment letter and promised that the president will receive it today,” said Shonisani Mudau from the office of the presidency.
“I’m just acknowledging the receipt of the memorandum and it will be delivered to my principal and indeed you will receive your response by 30 of November.
I would like to encourage you to continue fighting for your right and it is indeed your right and do not be silence and if anything is not going alright, you have the right to talk and you have the right to defend your right and it is enshrine in our constitution we will fight for our right,” said Leah Chaba from IPID.
Copy of memorandum: