Dear Editor,
We the residents of Kurupung have been plagued by an ongoing situation since early 1997. We had pursued the previous government for their intervention to close a disputed area of land known as G-28. This area is allegedly owned by a mining company registered as GDTC.
The residents of Kurupung are suffering tremendously from the decision that was made by GGMC to grant the PL (G-28) to GDTC in 1996. We the residents of Kurupung saw that as controversial because Golden Star Resources Ltd had ownership of a plot of land that covered the said area from January 18, 1994 to January 17, 1997. This clearly shows that GDTC could not have legally obtained this portion of land within the boundaries of Golden Star’s Kurupung Reconnaissance permit in 1996. This was subsequently being shown on a map produced by GGMC.
GDTC then went on to divide this area into eleven mining properties which were eventually cancelled in 2009. Ten mining properties from within the G-28 PL plus eleven others that were cancelled the said year were made available for bona fide residents of Kurupung to locate claims. This was known as the Third Disposal of Mineral Properties 2009. It was a special parcel of land made available for the location of claims from November 24, 2009 onward. A closing date was not published for residents to stop the location of claims although several attempts were made in writing for more than a year for a closing date to be given, but to date none has been received. This is very important since some of these said mining permits were given back to GDTC and residents who have legally located claims are encountering tremendous problems at the hands of the permit holder, who is claiming he owns all the lands.
In the election year of 2011, the then Commissioner acting, Mr Woolford, and a delegation came to Kurupung and announced an extension of the area we were locating claims in, to a five-mile radius . While we were awaiting our allotment we were shocked to hear that GDTC was laying claim to some of the eleven blocks alleging that these had been rescinded within the G-28 PL. These PL’s have remained in controversy since the ʼ90s and fall within the five-mile radius that residents were promised. To add salt to the wounds, these rescinded blocks were cancelled in 2009. This is almost two years after the revised 1989 Mining Act which clearly states “Blocks that are cancelled after the 19th September 2007 should only go to a Lottery or an Auction.”
Contact was made with the then Minister of Energy and Natural Resources to address this matter, but we realised he had been ill-advised. There is a group at the epicentre of GGMC which is organised and seems to have great influence in this commission. In almost every case small miners are encountering the loss of their mineral properties to their rich counterparts who are directly linked to this group.
The comments are distasteful and disgusting. We the residents are asking the new administration to investigate and possibly dissolve this group in order to restore the good image of the GGMC. Their operation has become cancerous and is largely responsible for most of the mayhem in the mining industry, and in dismantling the group a strong message will be sent to others. We will not divulge more information in the event that an investigation has already been launched.
We the residents would like to make a few recommendations:
- A website or mail box should be made available where vital information can be passed on (there is much to be shared).
- There needs to be a keener look into accountability and transparency.
- Responses should be obtained when needed from GGMC and other government ministries in a timely manner (responses are never or rarely given).
As soon as the honeymoon period is over and the dust has settled, we would like this administration to address our problems. This matter of landlordship is causing many problems to us the residents. It’s greatly affecting our ability to provide adequately for our families. We are also willing to visit as a group and share our grievances; there is much to tell.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
