Mail & Guardian reports that mining giant Rio Tinto has again “curtailed” production at its Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) operations because of a fresh outbreak of violence sparked by tension around a decade-long dispute over the chieftainship in the area.

The week before last, the company decided to “temporarily curtail operations” after buses carrying its employees to work were shot at after several days of community protests aimed at forcing the provincial government to appoint an inkosi for the Mbuyazi clan. A source at the smelter that RBM operates at KwaMbonambi outside Richards Bay said the company had halted operations completely for several days but was now running during daylight hours only because of the fear of further attacks. RBM’s Thembakazi Skenqa said RBM would “maintain a level of curtailment” over the next few days before deciding on whether to resume full production at its four mines and the smelter. “A bus carrying RBM employees was shot at as part of ongoing community protests on access roads around RBM operations. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the shooting incident has had a significant impact on RBM’s people on operations,” Skenqa said. He went on to indicate that the Rio Tinto subsidiary had scaled back operations to ensure the safety of its employees and assets while it “engages stakeholders to find a swift and agreeable solution to the situation”. Conflict in the area began after the provincial government stripped then inkosi Sibusiso Mbuyazi of his title in 2010, installing his half-brother Mkhanyiseni and sparking a decade of court battles that effectively delayed the payment of more than R170-million due to the clan as part of a land claim paid by RBM.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Paddy Harper at Mail & Guardian (subscriber access only)

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