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Fikile Ntshangase, 63, was shot and killed in her home on Thursday night.
- An anti-mining activist from KwaZulu-Natal was shot dead in her home on Thursday night.
- Fikile Ntshangase was instrumental in opposing a mining company operating in his community.
- The 63-year-old man suffered multiple gunshot wounds, according to police.
Anti-mining activist Fikile Ntshangase, who was instrumental in opposing a mining extension of Tendele Mines, was shot dead in her home.
On Friday, police spokesman Colonel Thembeka Mbele confirmed the deadly shooting.
“It is alleged … a 63-year-old woman was shot and killed while at her home on the Ophondweni reservation in Mtubatuba. She suffered multiple gunshot wounds. A murder case was opened at KwaMsane Police Station for investigation. .
Ntshangase was one of the leaders of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organization.
This is Fikile Ntshangase as I will always remember her-
Bravely standing up to the Tendele mine expansion and telling the TRUTH. Tonight she was shot down in her house in front of her young grandson and her fire and courage are gone forever. We are devastated by your loss pic.twitter.com/V6EcyiWxNT– Kirsten Youens – lawyer (@kirstenyouens) October 22, 2020
In a statement, the organization said that Ntshangase had “refused to sign a corrupt agreement with Tendele Mine.”
“Last week, we discovered that some committee members had secretly signed an agreement with Tendele Mine in which they agreed to withdraw a court case against Tendele Mine that is due in court on November 2.”
The organization added that this was not the first attempt on Ntshangase’s life.
“Earlier this year, Mam Ntshangase’s property was attacked, leaving her riddled with bullets.”
Tendele CEO Jan du Preez told GroundUp that he condemned the murder and other recent incidents of violence and intimidation.
Du Preez linked them to community concerns about layoffs and the threat of future job losses.
He told the publication that the bribery allegations were outright lies.
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GroundUp previously reported that Tendele Coal Mining operated the Somkhele coal mine on the fringes of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Park, amid opposition from people living in neighboring communities and a growing number of environmental organizations.
Despite this, the Department of Mineral Resources granted it an additional 222km2 of mining rights in 2016.
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According to Mail & Guardian, the Supreme Court of Appeals had before it a case to overturn a 2018 High Court ruling that refused to intercept mining in Somkhele.
The injunction reportedly sought to halt the mine’s expansion.
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