The United Front (UF) fully supports the urgent court application filed by the Legal Resources Centre and Richard Spoor Attorneys for an order interdicting six people associated with the proposed Xolobeni Mineral Sands Project, from intimidating, victimising, threatening, harassing and assaulting Xolobeni community members. The matter will be heard in the Grahamstown High Court tomorrow.

The latest instance of collusion between the government agency SANRAL and the Australian mining company MRC (Mineral Commodities LTD), through its South African subsidiary TEM (Transworld Energy and Mineral Resources) only reinforces our belief that more concerted efforts are needed to stop the destruction of our environment and communities.

For several years now the Multi-National Mining Company and SANRAL have attempted to cajole, coerce and cheat the community into allowing it access to what is considered by the community to be sacred land. Their proposed venture threaten the homes, ancestral graves, water supply, fishing stock and traditional way of life of a community living in what is considered one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Numerous Amadiba Crisis Committee statements attest to the violence and foul play of the SANRAL and MRC agents.

The United Front also demands that SANRAL's Nazir Alli apologise to Comrade Lolo Mhlengana and the community and stop raising technical points in the court case to try and deprive the community of legal representation. The wrangling in the courts is a poor attempt to deprive the villages of Mdatya and Sigidi of adequate representation in their case to halt the construction of the N2 through their communities.

We also urge all South Africans to stand together with the people of Xolobeni as they assert their democratic right to protect their natural and cultural heritage. Taking a united stand against the destruction of our environment and the refusal to roll-over to greedy multi-national corporations will serve to strengthen the community in their struggle against powerful interests.

Issued by United Front