Indian company Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. has been planning an iron ore mine on the communal lands of the Makhasaneni people. The so-called Melmoth Iron Ore Project (MIOP) is planned to be the second largest one in South Africa [1]. The mine is expected to become operational in 2027, but ongoing community resistance repeatedly halted construction.

Makhasaneni village lies 30 kilometers from Melmoth in northern KwaZulu-Natal province. The Makhasaneni community was relocated to this place in the 1930s when they were forcibly removed from their traditional lands by colonial rule to create space for forestry plantations [2]. The Makhasaneni peoples’ livelihoods are predominantly land-based, largely coming from subsistence farming [3]. 

In 2011, Jindal started exploring the area for iron ore [4]. The community had not been informed and had not given consent, and soon after the company arrived, they found that family graves and agricultural fields were damaged, and cattle died from drinking poisoned waters. Apparently, the community leader had given Jindal approval without consulting the rest of the community, having in mind the possible economic benefits to be captured from mining rather than the villagers’ interests. The villagers felt betrayed and called for a meeting, during which they confronted their leader. Although he apologized for allowing Jindal access without consulting the community, he insisted on permitting the company to continue prospecting the area [2]. 

The villagers were discontent with the company’s arrival and actively opposed the continuation of the mining project. In 2012, the community set up the Makhasaneni Community Committee (MCC) out of concerns over Jindal’s plans [2]. According to Jindal, the mine would require the relocation of 350 homes and their respective family graves, although a closer look at the plan drawings shows that 3,000 households will end up having to be moved [1]. As such, one community member mentioned: “Mining is not development. It is a mass eviction process” [5].[12].  According to Jindal, the iron ore mine would bring significant social benefits to the area, such as reducing poverty and improving local living conditions by employing 800 people permanently and 1,600 people temporarily [3]. According to community members, however, these benefits will likely be outweighed by social and environmental damages [4].

The area Jindal has been prospecting holds Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) and Ecological Support Areas (ESAs). SLR Consulting was hired to conduct an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Melmoth Iron Ore Project. This report brought forward the potential damage to local critical biodiversity, air quality, and water quality [3]. The community also fears their crops will suffer from the mine, and these concerns are confirmed by the expected impacts listed in the environmental impact assessment [6]. As farming fulfills an important function in Kwazulu-Natal communities’ livelihoods, the possible threat to harvests is a particularly significant reason for resisting Jindal’s plans. In 2016, the community succeeded in temporarily halting Jindal’s prospecting activities through fierce opposition [5].

Although prospecting was adjourned, some community members resisting the mining project have allegedly received death threats and other intimidations from parties connected to Jindal [7]. There are even reports of activists being followed and attacked by hitmen [8]. According to an anti-mining activist, he was told by one of the chief’s brothers that “the mining is going ahead or blood will shed”. Supposedly, the community leader’s brothers are employed by Jindal Africa. 

Opponents of Jindal’s mining project created the Entembeni Crisis Forum to organize their resistance. Since July 2023, they collected over 7,000 signatures for their petition against the project [6].  The forum addresses the concerns listed above, as well as the fact that the community already struggles with water shortages, which are expected to worsen as the water-intensive mining project commences. On the matter of relocating their family graves, they write that “this not only tampers with our spiritual identity but is also a gross disrespect for humanity and our connection to the land”. In the same month the petition was launched, eNtembeni community members, whose lands have also been targeted by Jindal’s mining plans, blocked the nearby R66 road demanding the company retrieve from their lands [9]. In response to this action, Jindal again suspended its operations.

This is not the first time the villagers of Makhasaneni were forced off their lands, and they are aware of the false promises with which other communities in the region were met once big companies entered their lands. South Africa does not have legislation in place to govern the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) [4]. With policies supporting traditional leaders’ say in land decisions, communities have no foot to stand on when businesses see profit opportunities in the lands they call home.

"Recalling the murders of anti-mining activists Bazooka Radebe and Fikile Ntshangase (some neighbours) fear that powerful figures who stand to benefit financially from the Jindal mine could seek retribution after the recent Melmoth blockade." [10].

- The mine's final dimensions are expected to be 4,000 by 1,000 meters, with a depth of 550 meters [3].

- Expected annual production is 32,000,000 tonnes of iron ore, which will be processed into 7.7 metric tons of iron ore concentrate [3].[11].

- The mine's lifespan is projected to be 25 years [4].