Mining companies such as Copper 360 and local governmental departments operating in the Namakwa District, has been accused of improperly discarding job applications from desperate job seekers in the wilderness.
On Tuesday, October 29, three young activists from the Okiep Community Movement (OCM), a non-profit organization, expressed concerns regarding the plight of unemployed youth in the area during the Radio NFM #OpenLyn program.
Elzene Van Rooyen remarked that the community is offered learnerships and internships that do not lead to sustainable employment opportunities upon completion. She emphasized that these learnerships are merely “a drop in the bucket,” as individuals must continuously seek new opportunities to provide for their families, often receiving insufficient compensation to support their dependents. “We are struggling to keep pace with the South African economy; the costs of food and household expenses to maintain basic utilities are exorbitant,” she said.
Chloe Josias said that there was no difference between the government and the private sector, as both fail to provide adequate opportunities even for those who have completed their tertiary education.
Shane Cloete expressed concern for the 2024 grade 12 students, stating that previous matriculants are struggling to survive while tertiary students are contending with the challenges of securing sustainable funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), especially in light of recent budget cuts and alleged mismanagement within the institution.
Josias further said that the job vacancies advertised by the mining companies are predominantly for managerial roles, which do not benefit the majority of unemployed youth. “Positions for general workers are virtually nonexistent, and those with qualifications from local TVET colleges find themselves ineligible, as their education does not qualify them for available roles. The company resorts to hiring individuals from outside the district,” she said.
Josias also revealed their disturbance upon discovering their CVs discarded at local illegal dumping sites, following their submission of applications for general worker positions at the Okiep Nama-Khoi Municipality office. Cloete said that they took the initiative to approach the Mining Company’s premises to address these issues directly, for which, mining representative had assured him that their applications would be forwarded to Human Resources; however, months went by without any response.
In the meantime, Van Rooyen mentioned that she and other desperate job seekers took the initiative to visit the mine offices in person. Mining company liaison officers accepted their CVs but they are yet to receive response.
“Vedanta Zinc International, located in the Khai-Ma Municipal area, prioritizes applicants from local communities. Unfortunately, our submissions were outright rejected,” says Van Rooyen.
Cloete added, “The situation is no different for the community members in Okiep, who are similarly overlooked by local mines.”
The young community activists express concerns that the online application process they participated in is little different from their previous registrations with the databases of mining companies. They feel that, despite their efforts to engage, their information is merely treated as another entry in these databases.
The activists highlight that this situation leaves them feeling marginalized, as they believe their needs and voices are overlooked by both the companies and governmental departments. Instead of fostering meaningful engagement, the process has left them feeling as though they are merely statistics, with no real impact on decision-making or community representation.
According to Van Rooyen, “word of mouth” says that nepotism allegedly influence operations at the mining company.
The OCM says to advocate for transparency from mining companies regarding employment statistics for each town.
The OCM expressed concern over the dire situation facing the youth in Namakwa, noting that high unemployment and the struggle for economic survival causing mental health issues leading to substance abuse and criminal activities as coping mechanisms.
The youth organization is inviting all Namakwa communities to a meeting scheduled for November 6 at the Okiep REC Club community hall 10am. The Copper 360 management team is expected to address the community’s grievances.
