Rajkumar/Mint via Getty ImagesA plan by Jindal Steel & Power to develop an up-to $2 billion iron-ore mine in South Africa is facing opposition from communities who say the operation would require thousands of homes and graves to be relocated.
“Our community of Makhasaneni has been fighting Indian giant mining company, Jindal Mine, who for years have been intruding with their plans to dig up iron ore in the lush hills that we have called home for generations,” community members said in a obstacles The Entembeni Crisis Forum, the group that organised the petition, said an assessment of the area that Jindal wants to mine shows it could lead to more than 3 000 households and 3 000 graves being moved. According to the firm, about 350 homes would be impacted, subject to a final determination, for the first stage of mining. That could take about 15 years, while the number of graves that would need to be relocated is yet to be assessed.
The forum said it’s also concerned about the potential for environmental harm and the loss of agricultural land.