The South Africa Rural Women’s Assembly strongly condemns the killing of sister Fikile Ntshangase, an environmental activist, who carried the interest of her community with the highest regard in her outspoken attempts against the extension of an opencast mine operated by Tendele Coal near her home in Somkhele.
This contested land is close to the oldest nature reserve in Africa called Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and sister Fikile was a community activist who fought against the call for expansion of this coalmine. Her work towards truth and justice is not forgotten in this senseless killing for capitalist gain.
Sister Fikile understood that power of land to transform our communities and the role we need to play in this process of resilience and sovereignty for an end to Hunger, relentless poverty and to build climate resilience. The Rural Women’s Assembly sends our condolences to her family and stands in solidarity with the comrades who now pick up the baton against the anguish of the capitalist mining company and their cohorts who had a hand in orchestrating her untimely death. We are tired of seeing women disregarded and annihilated at the hand of capitalism.
Today we recommit ourselves to take forward the struggles of sister Fikile Ntshangase. We demand an urgent investigation of sister Fikile Ntshangase’s death and we demand justice to prevail. Activists like sister Fikile Ntshangase do not die, we multiply with seeds sown afar and across lands we never got to walk.
May her soul Rest In Power. Amandla! Power to the women!