The Impact of Mining on Community Development in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality, Limpopo Province

Abstract

Like elsewhere in the world, mining in South Africa has been credited for creating national wealth, creating job opportunities and impacting on socio-economic development. However, extractive mining also adversely affects socio-economic and ecological wellbeing. Despite policy reforms and regulatory interventions, unemployment, mine induced poverty and environmental pollution remain. The objective of this study is to establish the impact of extractive activities on local communities in the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. Primarily, the study pays attention to the contribution of mining towards sustainable developmental goals in these communities. The study adopted a qualitative research method. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that the mines’ Social and Labour Plans in collaboration with the Local Municipality contributed immensely through major infrastructure projects to community development in BaPhalaborwa. On the other hand, the study found that the mines are causing serious environmental pollution that poses health hazards to the residents of the surrounding communities. The most worrying finding is that the extractive activities of those mines do not benefit local people since there is no beneficiation of the extracted minerals. The study has recommended the devolution of powers on monitoring and evaluation from DMR to the Local Municipality. It has further recommended skills training as the direct route to address the beneficiation challenge.