Steelpoort communities  protest for jobs and procurement opportunities at DCM

STEELPOORT

Communities outside Steelpoort have accused  the Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine (DCM) of excluding their villagers in terms of jobs, procurement and skills development.

On Monday, November 24, about 300 members from Ga Phasha, Mampuru, Bengwenyama and Mapodile villages  peacefully organised a  protest at the mine.

The  protesters said they signed an  MOU which established  a formal partnership between the Steelpoort communities and DCM to ensure fair, lawful and inclusive access to recruitment, skills  development, procurement, and community upliftment opportunities  within the mine’s operations.

One of the conveners, Thabo Makola said from 2022 to 2025 the Steelpoort communities had been excluded  from meaningful  participation in recruitment, procurement, training opportunities  and socio- economic development within DCM and its contractors.

“This MOU intends to correct these imbalances and establish a long term working relationship with DCM,” said the protesters.

The memorandum of demand was signed and accepted by DCM’s Human resources manager,Ester Sibuyi, she promised to direct the document to the mine management.