Water For Justice

The Kolo community wins part of their on-going battle

The destruction done in preparation for mining diamond affected a number of community and property Kolo. More than 400 hundred graves have been affected. Seven houses were cracked.

The government official, Mafeteng District Administrator, Mr. Teboho Lehloenya assured the community in a public gathering at Kolo that government was going to relocate the graves and houses. He further went on to say that there would be another badge of graves which will be relocated after inspection or feasibility studies have been completed. Between 40 and 50 households would be affected, Lehloenya said.

When asked how they wanted their graves to be handled, the communities said they wanted three monuments:
one for their chiefs who died a long time ago; the second for people whose names are known; the third to be for those whose names are not known. They suggested the following for the three categories:

For the bodies of chiefs communities suggested that two cows should be slaughtered to accompany them.
For the known graves, the community suggested that three cows should be slaughtered
For the bodies of the unknown graves, the community said that three cows should be slaughtered.

The following are the names of people who will be immediately relocated at Kolo mine:

Thlomeli Bulane
Lehana Mpeete
‘Masechaba Tinte
‘Mankhakile Lephatsi
Nathane Masithela
Thato Bulane
Nathane Masithela

The government has already committed itself to a number of development programs for the community of Kolo. The community of Kolo had earlier made the following demands from government, and government agreed and signed a commitment letter. The following are some of the community demands: clinics, electricity, water, library, community Hall, High School; 10% of royalties from the sale of diamonds.

Those who were at the community Pitso included the Principal chief of Rothe; the District Administrator of the District of Mafeteng; local council of Mamants’o AO2; member of Parliament for Kolo constituency, Justice and Peace and TRC.