By Musa Mdluli

NKOMANZI:Residents here at Nkomazi in the Hhohho region have expressed concern about what now appears to be nearly a defunct mining site that has triggered job losses.

Michael Lee Enterprises, a company allegedly owned by a Taiwan investor  Michael Lee, has been mining at Malolotja Nature Reserve allegedly, without an Environmental Assessment License.

But Gcina Dladla, the Executive Director of the Eswatini Environmental Authority(EEA) told this Swaziland News that, the company was granted what he described as a Prospective License “that allows it to mine and test the market”.

Even though the mining was conducted at Malolotja, the mineral was then transported to Nkomazi before being shipped to overseas countries, Nkomanzi is nearly becoming a defunct mining site.

“The Mine stopped operations and we lost jobs”, said a resident of the area.

But Micheal Lee, the Managing Director(MD) of the Mine told this publication that, they were waiting for an Environmental Assessment License.

“We are currently doing site maintenance and conducting an environmental program. We are not mining at this stage; many people are giving false information for what reason we don't know”, said the Director of Michael Lee Enterprises Eswatini. 

Reached for comments earlier,King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said, the process to establish the Mine was conducted before he was employed as the King’s Spokesperson, he referred comments to the Mines and Minerals Board. 

“I am not aware. To the best of my knowledge that Mine was in operation before my office was born.The King has Boards,Teams and Committees who are hands-on in all the country's socio-economic evolution.I want to believe the Mining Board in the matter in question is better positioned to respond to your queries”, said the King’s Spokesperson.

Efforts to reach Prince Guduza, the Chairman of the Mines and Minerals Board proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

But Gcina Dladla, the Executive Director of the Eswatini Environmental Authority(EEA) clarified that, the Mine was using a Prospecting License.

The Executive Director was responding to this Swaziland News after being asked to clarify why the alleged Taiwan investor was allowed to continue mining without an Environmental Assessment License.

“What happened is; they first used a Prospecting License, this is a license that allowed them to search for the mineral and temporarily do the mining to test the market before going on full scale mining. They wanted to mine five thousand(5000) tones but we suggested that, with the Prospecting License, they must at least mine two thousand(2000) tones. So if you can verify with the other Mines, most of them started with the Prospecting License before the Environmental Assessment, that then authorizes the full scale mining”, said the Environmental Authority Executive Director.

But a brief research conducted by this publication with regards to the meaning of a Prospective License suggests that, in other countries, it seeks to enable the inspection of the area for available minerals not to commence temporal mining. 

But the Executive Director of the Eswatini Environmental Authority consistently maintained that, the Prospective License also allowed the investor to mine at least two thousand(2000) tones to test the market. 

It has been disclosed that,the Mine subsequently halted operations after it attracted international spotlight for allegedly violating global environmental preservation laws but,insiders told this publication that,the mining might resume soon.

Eswatini, a tiny Kingdom that has since discovered minerals worth billions, has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line.

King Mswati has been heavily criticized for manipulating minerals and other State resources for his own benefit, Mswati rules the country as an absolute Monarch.