Protester Shot Dead in Third Day of Unrest at S. Africa Mine

by Cecilia Jamasmie / Mining.com

One person died and another one is seriously injured after South African police allegedly clashed with protesters near Atlatsa Resources’s (TSE, JSE:ATL) Bokoni platinum mine in the Limpopo Province.

Locals are up in arms because they claim the company offered millions of rands for the community when it was granted mining rights eight years ago. They say they haven’t seen any of the promised investment so far, News24.com reports.

Social unrest began on Monday when people blocked a road leading to the mine and burned tyres, preventing employees from getting to work. Atlatsa said in a statement that the community has made no formal demands to the mine.

“Bokoni management is working closely with the South African Police Services to ensure safety and security in the region,” the firm added.

The Bokoni property consists of seven mining licences covering an area of roughly 15,000 hectares at the heart of South Africa’s platinum belt.

Atlatsa Resources is the mine’s majority owner, with Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) owning the remaining 49% of the project, which produced 170,000 tonnes of platinum group metals in 2014.

South Africa, Africa’s largest economy, holds about 80% of the world’s known platinum reserves, accounting for 70% of global output, used for jewellery, catalytic converters in vehicles, and as a key source of hard currency for the country, among other applications.