Petmin's Tendele Mining, which operates the mine, said in a statement that on Friday that the court granted the urgent application, brought by All Rise Attorneys on behalf of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation , pending the hearing of a full interdict application on 9 June.
The life extension of the mine has been a growing source of tension in the community and made headlines in late 2020 when Fikile Ntshangase, an active MCEJO member, was assassinated in her home. After Tendele issued notices in February this year of its intention to resume mining-related activities in mid-March, MCEJO turned to the courts, claiming Tendele had still not complied with the court's order to obtain consent"specifically from the persons who may be deprived of their informal rights to land" by the mining activity, and that it had not completed the EIA processes.
The MTC, the Mpukunyoni Community Mining Forum, AMCU and NUM said in a joint statement that they were disappointed by the interim interdict.