The Soutpansberg Chamber of Commerce and Tourism has launched an investigation into the controversial issue of coal mining in the sensitive biodiverse region of the Limpopo Province.

The chamber is positioning itself to express a viewpoint on the issue.

“As chamber we are currenty requesting our members to share their perspectives on the much-debated Vele Colliery. We hope to contribute to the current public debate in the media and other forums. It is our objective to promote economic growth in our region, but not at the cost of our water resources or other sustainable economic activities,” said Mr Willie Botha, spokesperson for the Soutpansberg Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, on November 30.

The chamber is in the process of getting its members to cast an electronic vote by voting "yes" or "no", as well as to qualify their vote with a short motivation by e-mail. “By this method, we hope to find a balance among our members on this important issue. Following the vote, we will release a media statement on the chamber’s official viewpoint,” Botha said.

The Australian mining group Coal of Africa’s mining activities at the Vele Colliery had been temporarily closed down by the Department of Environmental Affairs. CoAL had a new order mining right from the Department of Mineral Resources but was still not in possession of a water license . Vele is an open-cast coal mine, situated near the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site.

In the meantime, the chamber is also on a fact-finding mission and engaging with Coal of Africa.

“We are corresponding with Mr Riaan van der Merwe of CoAL and meeting with their liaison personnel. We are seeking facts to get the whole picture,” Botha said. He expressed the possibility of trying to get the opposing opinions together on a podium “as per American style and allow both to make their case to both the public and the press”.

SACCI (South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry ) also picked up on the Soutpansberg Chamber’s investigation.

“The Soutpansberg Chamber is working hard at balancing the issues that have arisen for its members and the community out of the prospects for mining coal in the region and the local economic development and employment opportunities they will bring, and the importance and sensitivity of the region as an internationally recognised biodiversity area, with its local economic development and employment potentialities through tourism,” said Sandra van der Linge, SACCI’s Manager: Chamber Services. .

Van der Linge reiterated the Soutpansberg Chamber’s approach to support the protection of both business and environmental interests without slaying the one to support the other.

SACCI also commended the Soutpansberg Chamber of Commerce and Tourism for its commitment to the development of the region as a tourist destination. A steering committee elected through the chamber is busy focusing on the re-launch of tourism within the area and resurrecting awareness and interest in the Soutpansberg and its people.

“This initiative will be privately driven, in conjunction with local businesses and stakeholders in the tourism industry. The steering committee will be embarking on an intense drive in the months to follow, to co-opt all tourism-related businesses into the tourism sector, and join hands in the promotion of the Soutpansberg area,” Van der Linge said. They intend publishing the current projects and investigation of the Soutpansberg Chamber in the SACCI newsletter.

For more information on the tourism launch or the coal-mining-versus-tourism issue, the chairperson of the Soutpansberg Chamber, Mr Iain Purdon, can be contacted at [email protected]