Fear arises as South Africans hope that the idle mine left by the Gupta family falls into the right hands.
In 2016, the contentious Gupta brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh (also known as Tony) checked out of South Africa for Dubai. It was reported that they took off in a private airplane from Lanseria Airport fled to Dubai for good.
In December 2015, the Gupta family had bought the Optimum Coal Mine adding it to their empire in South Africa.
But not long after; the coal mine, which they allegedly obtained in a corrupt deal tipped into bankruptcy.
This week, South African twitter went into a panic when an article by Business Live reported on the mine needing a ramp-up.
Fear arose that it might yet again fall into the wrong hands.
An online “protest” was started in the form of the hashtag #OpenUpTheMiningIndustry on social media with South Africans hoping the mine does not land in the hands of the corrupt.
One tweet read, “South Africa is something else, the mining industry has resources which generate income but instead, they always sell to Paris, England, etc. All gold jewelry comes from Paris. Now they wanna take away the mining industry from us…entlek yini?!! #OpenUpTheMiningIndustry.”
Another wrote, “But seriously what would it take South Africa to play by the books, rules, for once nje. #OpenUpTheMiningIndustry.”
A concerned citizen said, “No matter how corrupt, greedy and heartless our government; our corporations the richer will always remain rich and the poor will always remain poor. #OpenUpTheMiningIndustry.”
“Natural resources are often too vulnerable to corruption. Citizens are denied wealth that is part of their Heritage. #OpenUpTheMiningIndustry,” said another.
@BusinessDay you guys are saying Centaur is going to revive the second biggest mine in SA but isn’t Centaur a Gupta company 🤔 Are the GUPTAS back? pic.twitter.com/mi7N0qPz0J
— IG: @cookingwithluyanda (@Luyanda_Maf) June 23, 2020
I’m not that business minded but I think Optimum as one of the biggest mine in the country need to be revived but it’s Should all every bidder to send their bidding documents #OpenUpTheMiningIndustrypic.twitter.com/pKxeDTSqOy
South Africa is something else, the mining industry’s has resources which generate income but instead they always sell to Paris, England etc… all gold jewelry comes from Paris … now they wanna take away the mining industry from us…entlek yini?! #OpenUpTheMiningIndustrypic.twitter.com/x392seaUJG
Guys I think it is our duty as youth to challenge corruption since it’s getting out of hand as a black child for you to get a job it’s either you pay with money or your body #OpenUpTheMiningIndustrypic.twitter.com/dFZshJSyCn
It was reported that Optimum was unable to pay staff salaries in November 2018, and in April 2019. The only way to rescue the mine would be to a new owner.
In a meeting with the parliamentary portfolio committee; the lawyer for Optimum’s business rescue practitioners, Bouwer van Niekerk, told the panel while there are three bids on offer, the mine will require a lot of money to ramp it up.
A ramp of the mine means would spell good news for workers and for, Eskom, which has had to source alternative coal supply for its Hendrina power station halted operations at Optimum.
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