Broken Promises and Broken Homes: The Human Cost of a Mine Takeover

In the shadow of the Kriel Colliery in Mpumalanga, more than 200 peoplemany of them elderly pensioners and their familiesnow find themselves without shelter. Their homes, approximately 60 houses they had occupied for decades, have been demolished by Seriti Resources, the mining giant that bought the operation from Anglo American. The scene is one of profound displacement, with residents claiming a legacy of broken promises and a court order they say was violated.

The eviction, carried out under a 2022 Mpumalanga High Court order, has sparked outrage and a vow of assistance from the advocacy group Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua). According to residents, their occupancy was never “unlawful.” They are descendants or surviving family members of Anglo American employees who, they say, were granted housing as part of their employmentthrough ownership schemes, allowances, or verbal commitments. “My employer said I must stay here with my family,” said Lina Sikhosana, who worked at the mine for 30 years. “Now they evicted me like a dog.”

A Clash of Narratives: Legal Process vs. Ethical Obligation

Seriti’s stance is one of strict legal adherence. Spokesperson Tshifhiwa Ramotombu stated the company followed due process supported by a court order, executed by the Sheriff. The mine maintains the prefab houses contained asbestos and needed demolition. Crucially, Seriti shifts the responsibility for alternative accommodation, stating the Emalahleni Local Municipality was ordered by the court to provide it.

The evicted families and Macua tell a different story. Community leader Tiro Baabua insists the court’s stipulation for alternative accommodation before eviction was ignored. “We were thrown out on the street,” he said. Macua’s national coordinator, Sabelo Mnguni, alleges “significant procedural, legal, and ethical irregularities” and has tasked legal teams to investigate. The group is demanding the government and Seriti provide immediate shelter, food support, and trauma assistance.

The Heart of the Dispute: A Legacy Obligation?

The conflict hinges on a fundamental question: did Seriti inherit only the mine’s assets, or also its social obligations to a community built over generations? The residents’ claim is one of an implicit social contract, where lifelong service was exchanged for security in retirement. The company’s view is one of property rights and legal clarity post-acquisition.

For now, the human cost is clear: elderly men and women with nowhere to go, their possessions scattered, their sense of security shattered. As Macua prepares a potential legal challenge and appeals for civil society support, the eviction in Kriel stands as a stark case study in the complex, often brutal, intersection of corporate restructuring, legal enforcement, and the forgotten promises that bind communities to the landand the minesthey have always called home.