Five years on, hope springs in Marikana
Wages are rising, accommodation is being built, and some Lonmin workers are using their improving circumstances to branch out into cattle farming
Beaming with hope‚ mineworker Nelson Zansi is not in Marikana only to mine platinum for Lonmin. For him‚ North West‚ one of the richest platinum deposits in the world‚ is bubbling with hope of a better life‚ against the backdrop of the bloodiest history of post-apartheid SA. Nkaneng‚ a settlement that is little more than a cluster of shacks lining filth-laden and muddied walkways in Wonderkop (the official name of the area) is also a profitable breeding ground for cattle‚ which migrant labourers like Zansi haul back in the Eastern Cape. He had no livestock when he left his rural village of Ngqeleni‚ in the Eastern Cape‚ to seek employment in the platinum belt three years ago. Today‚ Zansi has 26 cattle to his name back home and next year he is sending home eight more. "For R3,000 you get a bouncy calf. With good and accessible grazing land as well as the support of the community of breeders here‚ it is promising," he says. "I started with four (calves) and then I pooled with other m...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.