Tracking the Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine (BRPM



 By Kagiso Molefi (Mafenya)

Anglo Platinum “BRPM” is situated in the western limb of Bushveld 30km from Rustenburg near Boshoek. This mine is impacting in many ways to four communities which include Mafenya, Chaneng, Robega and Rasimone. This mine began 1996 when Anglo Americans started mining one of richest platinum field in the region. This mine is located in Rasimone and Lekgoropaneng, this two village falls under jurisdiction of Royal Bafokeng tribe or nation.
Before the beginning of the mine the four communities depended on crops and livestock, farming some were working at Boshoek, Sun City and Impala Platinum mine. The mine location was used for crops and livestock grazing. The compensation for that land from the mine is said to be given to Royal Bafokeng because of their owner’s status. The year 2000 the Lekgoropaneng community was relocated 1,8km from their village to Mafenya. They had experienced cracked houses and during the mine blasting they were supposed to come out and stay more than 500km away from their houses.
In 1998 mine started to sink a two decline shafts which is North and South shafts and obtained license on December 1998, the 1st blasting was on the 15th March 1998 and had a reef nine months later because it is a decline mine and 500m from the surface.
The Royal Bafokeng Holding (RBH)  are presently major shareholder in this Company. They have since expanded, their operations, which has caused conflicts in the four villages. The Styldrift project, is stirring discomfort to the community.

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