By Akani Nkuna
The Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) staged a powerful protest at the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources on Wednesday, delivering a symbolic coffin to honour artisanal miners who have lost their lives.
The demonstration highlighted the ongoing dangers faced by zama zamas, with demonstrators demanding justice, accountably and formal recognition to protect their rights and ensure their contributions benefit local communities.
Macua national coordinator Meshack Mbangula told the hundreds of protesters gathered at Jubilee Park in Pretoria where the march started, that they were going to deliver a signed coffin to the department, awarding it for the deaths of miners.
“We are going to give that coffin to DMPR; reason being… they have been killing us, whether [it’s] pollution, contaminated water, poverty… so we are going to take that coffin and put messages there and award them,” he said.
Mbangula said that in the
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