Workers at Coal of Africa´s Vele Mine outside Musina are now jobless after the Green Scorpions issued a notice a week ago, ordering the company to stop its mining activities. This comes after several stakeholders also applied for a court interdict against Limpopo Coal and the Minister of Mineral Resources, Ms Susan Shabangu.

The applicants are the Mapungubwe Action Group (MAG), the Endangered Wildlife Trust, the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists, the Peace Parks Foundation, World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa, BirdLife South Africa and the Wilderness Foundation South Africa.

According to the chairperson for the National Union of Mine Workers in Musina, Mr Eric Ramuthivheli, 431 mine workers are now jobless, following the interdict. He said when the mine started operating three months ago, residents never thought that they would ever be stranded and hungry again. "The mine has brought hope to the residents of Musina and the surrounding areas as most of the people who were not working managed to get jobs," he said.

He said whoever was stopping the mine would take care of their families. According to Ramuthivheli, the mine was contributing to other social challenges like the reduction of crime in Musina. "Some 430 breadwinners, who were able to put food on the table for their families through the Vele Coal Mine in Musina, are now jobless. This is a very serious challenge to the people of Musina," said Ramuthivheli.

In a media statement, the municipal manager of Musina, Mr Abram Luruli, said that the establishment of the mine came as a rescue to the soaring unemployment rate to the local community. "The development will have many economic benefits for the people of Musina and it will provide much-needed jobs, particularly for the previously unemployed. We also encourage the mine to adhere to the notice issued and call upon all the stakeholders to sit around the table, so that the issues raised can be addressed," said Luruli.