Anti-mining leader opposing Australian-owned mine assassinated in South Africa

A prominent environmentalist and Defender of Commons who campaigned vigorously against an Australian-owned mineral sands mine in South Africa has been shot dead in his home on March 22. For a decade a community on the Wild Coast has been resisting a foreign company’s attempt to mine titanium in their area. Activists claims that this has led to the assassination of their leader Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe, chairperson of the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC). Now, others fear for their lives.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO CONDEMN THE ASSASINATION OF BAZOOKA RHADEBE AND TO ENSURE THAT HIS MURDERERS BE BROUGH TO JUSTICE

Sign the online petition:

https://tinyurl.com/acc-solidarity-endorse

WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO

Appeal to your networks and to the general public to contact the highest offices of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and inundate them with demands to intervene to stop the mining right application process and to protect the anti-mining activists and communities. Here are the contact details of the highest offices of the DMR:

Minister of Mineral Resources: Mr Mosebenzi Zwane

Tel: 012 444 3999

Fax: 012 444 3145

Email: Queen.Poolo@dmr.gov.za (PA)

Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources: Mr Godfrey Oliphant

Tel: 012 444 3956

Fax: 012 341 2228

Email: Kefilwe.Chibogo@dmr.gov.za (PA)

Acting Director-General: Department of Mineral Resources: Mr David Msiza

Tel: 012 444 3000

Fax: 012 341 2228

Email: david.msiza@dmr.gov.za / Nwabisa.Qwanyashe@dmr.gov.za (PA) / Khayalethu.Matrose@dmr.gov.za (Director: Office of the DG)

Contribute to the Solidarity Fund

The Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) urgently requires funds to assist Bazooka’s family, for transport, and for continuing the struggle and protecting activists in this dangerous moment. You can make donations to the following bank account. Please include the reference as ‘Bazooka Cause’. Please also forward this request for financial assistance on to your networks as well as funding agencies that may be willing to support the ACC.

Sustaining the Wild Coast

First National Bank Randburg

Account no: 62157997639

Code: 254005

Swift: FIRNZAJJ

Physical address: cnr Main Ave/Republic Rd, Randburg, South Africa

SHOULD YOU WISH TO APPROCH DIRECTLY THE ORGANIZERS OF THE CAMPAIGN, PLEASE CONTACT

Busi busi@r2k.org.za or call Busi on 021 447 1000

Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC)

Mzamo Dlamini 072 194 0949; Nonhle Mbuthuma 076 3592982

The Umgungundlovu Traditional Authority and the ACC are represented by Richard Spoor Inc. in Johannesburg and LRC in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg. For legal issues in the coastal Amadiba community struggle against mining: Henk Smith 0832661770, Thabiso Mbhense 0711099340 and Richard Spoor 0836271722.