28/10/2025
Bakwena Ba Mogopa Community Calls for Urgent Intervention to Address Exploitation and Non-Compliance by Blue Gum Diamond Mine (Pty) Ltd
28 October 2025, Ventersdorp - The Bakwena Ba Mogopa Community, a historically disadvantaged and impoverished community situated in the JB Marks Municipality periphery in North West, today issues this urgent call for accountability, transparency, and justice in its dealings with Blue Gum Diamond Mine (Pty) Ltd. As the host community for diamond mining operations on our ancestral land, we have endured years of exploitation, unfair practices, and disregard for environmental laws and our rights, leading to deepened poverty and division among our people. While this company is collecting profits annually, there has been nothing for our people, no development and no investment in the people whose land they are using.
Our community faces extreme hardship, with a dependency rate exceeding 70% due to chronic unemployment. Despite the presence of mining activities, we have seen little to no benefit. The partnership agreement with Blue Gum Diamond Mine (Pty) Ltd allocates 74% of royalties from diamond sales to the mine's contractors, leaving 26% for the Bakwena Ba Mogopa Community. It must be strongly emphasized that the community cannot point to the direction of these supposed earnings, as they are either short paid or perhaps being paid to rogue elements. This arrangement which is underpinned by dubious contracts, has failed to deliver on promises of sustainable development, skills training, or job opportunities for our people.
Community key concerns include:
Lack of Transparency and Accountability: The mine directors have not provided essential documents such as the Annual General Meeting report, agreements, plans, surface use rights, water rights, Social and Labour Plan (SLP), environmental management plan, or rehabilitation plan. There are no systems in place to ensure compliance with the Companies Act or good governance principles.
Non-Compliance with SLP Obligations: The SLP, intended to fund community development and legacy projects, has not contributed to our upliftment. Funds are not benefiting the community, and there is no evidence of implementation for skills development, employment equity, or human resource development.
Rogue Trustees and Financial Mismanagement: Royalties and surface rentals are being paid to a rogue structure of unlawful trustees, who were removed by the Master of the High Court on 30 May 2024. Despite this, the mine continues to engage with them, ignoring the legitimately elected trustees chosen by the majority of the community in accordance with our constitution. Since June 2024, there have been no monthly or quarterly reports, and community funds have been used to legally fight against us, stalling livelihoods and exacerbating poverty.
Community Division and Intimidation: The mine has actively participated in creating divisions among community members and has deployed heavily armed private security personnel to threaten those challenging these injustices. Law enforcement and courts have provided no effective recourse, as money appears to be used as a weapon against the poor.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMRE) issued a vague response to our memorandum of demands. Their response is inadequate and fails to address the core issues of non-compliance under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA). They have noted our concerns but deferred action, emphasizing governance issues rather than enforcing the mine's obligations. We demand the immediate suspension of the mine's operations until full compliance is achieved, including the upliftment of Section 11 of their mining right license.
As a community dependent on mining and agriculture for survival, we cannot tolerate this ongoing siege. We call upon the DMRE, the Master of the High Court, law enforcement, and all relevant stakeholders to investigate these matters urgently, root out corruption, and ensure that mining benefits the host community as mandated by law. Sustainable development must replace exploitation.
Daniel Hobe, the Chairperson of the Executive Management Committee, said, “Our people have been taken advantage of for far too long by mining contractors and complicit individuals. We demand justice, transparency, and real benefits for our impoverished community. The time for empty promises is over."
The Bakwena Ba Mogopa Community also calls upon the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services to urgently investigate the conduct of the Assistant Master of the High Court, Mr. Kgakishi, for acting outside the Trust’s constitutional framework. We call upon the Master of the High Court in Pretoria to revoke the irregular Letter of Authority and to reinstate the lawfully elected Trustees. The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy must also enforce compliance by Blue Gum Diamond Mine (Pty) Ltd and ensure that all payments are made only to legitimate Trustees. The Public Protector and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) are urged to launch an urgent investigation into corruption, mismanagement, and the violation of the community’s rights, while law enforcement agencies must act to protect community members from intimidation and security threats.
Community demands:
Department of Mineral Resources and Energy: Suspend mining operations until full Social and Labour Plan and Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act compliance is verified.
Public Protector and South African Human Rights Commission: Launch an urgent probe into alleged corruption and human rights violations.
Law enforcement agencies: Protect community members from intimidation.
Court ordered suspension of all mining activities: until these concerns are addressed.
The Bakwena Ba Mogopa Community stands united in its demand for justice, transparency, and accountability. Our people cannot continue to live in poverty while others enrich themselves illegally through the diamonds mined from our ancestral land. We call upon the government and all South Africans of conscience to stand with the people of Bakwena Ba Mogopa. We will continue to pursue peaceful, lawful means to reclaim our dignity and protect our community’s future.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Daniel Hobe | +2771 710 8042 | [email protected]
