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Full Disclosure 2016

Royal Bafokeng Platinum LimitedNew

Key questions shareholders should ask

Environmental non-compliances reported by affected communities, the media, & NGOs

Moneyweb published an article in October 2012 entitled “South Africa’s ‘richest tribe’ offers platinum model”.1

The report largely praises RBPlat for being comparatively respectful of community needs in comparison to its other neighbours in the Platinum Belt. The article, does, however, acknowledge that the mine has been subject to criticism:

Gavin Capps, research chair in Land Reform and Democracy in South Africa at the University of Cape Town’s Centre for African Studies, says: “Things have not gotten better at all. The people on the ground are absolutely adamant that they have not seen the benefits. They are extremely bitter about it and feel it is the royal family that has benefited.”

Residents have complained about pollution from mines and damage to houses caused by underground blasting.

Researcher Sue Cook says the Bafokeng leadership has made mistakes in its projects, such as in environmental protection, and is trying to remedy these. Ms Cook has commented that:

The environmental effects of mining are one of the most serious challenges facing the Bafokeng communities.2

The Bench Marks Foundation produced a report entitled “Policy Gap 6 – A Review of Platinum Mining in the Bojanala District of the North West Province: A Participatory Action Research Approach”3 in 2014. Royal Bafokeng Platinum is one of the companies reviewed in that report. The report raises numerous social, labour and contested land rights issues in relation to the company and also states that the surrounding community is concerned about the mine’s environmental impact:

Communities complain that the present agreements between Royal Bafokeng Holdings and the mining corporations suit the mining corporations and the Royal Bafokeng Authority (RBA), while they experience the degradation of their land and environment as a result of mining.4

  1. See Jon Herskovitz, South Africa’s ‘richest tribe’ offers platinum model at: http://www.moneyweb.co.za/archive/south-africs-richest-tribe-offers-platinum-model/ (last accessed on 7 November 2016).
  2. See Jon Herskovitz, South Africa’s ‘richest tribe’ offers platinum model at: http://www.moneyweb.co.za/archive/south-africs-richest-tribe-offers-platinum-model/ (last accessed on 7 November 2016).
  3. Benchmarks Foundation Policy Gap 6 - A Review of Platinum Mining in the Bojanala District of the North West Province: A Participatory Action Research Approach, available for download at: http://www.thejournalist.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Platinum-Report-Benchmarks-David-van-Wyk.pdf (last accessed on 7 November 2016).
  4. Benchmarks Foundation Policy Gap 6 - A Review of Platinum Mining in the Bojanala District of the North West Province: A Participatory Action Research Approach, at p14.