MIDDELBURG — Liberty Coal has launched a stakeholder forum aimed at prioritising jobs for host communities during a community engagement meeting held on 23 February 2026 at the Eric Jiyane Community Hall, where community members from Ward 12 to Ward 29 voted for their preferred representatives. Several other meetings were held from 16 February 2026 across the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality to ensure representation of all communities where Liberty Coal mines.
The initiative follows the company’s decision to consolidate its mining activities at Optimum Colliery and increase production.
The newly formed Liberty Coal Stakeholder Forum is intended to serve as a structured platform through which communities can regularly engage the company on development matters.
Speaking at the meeting, Liberty Coal representative Nelisiwe Mabaso said the forum seeks to eliminate informal community structures that allegedly exploit job seekers.
“The aim of the stakeholder forum is to get rid of the community structures that promise people jobs but end up giving those opportunities to their relatives,” said Mabaso.
She explained that the company will now communicate directly with communities through the elected forum members and prioritise employment for host communities.
“From now on, whenever there are job opportunities, they will be given to the mine host communities instead of using structures that bring in their relatives from outside the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality while locals remain unemployed,” she said.
Mabaso further announced plans to install hub containers in each ward to improve access to resources and opportunities. The hubs will be managed by locally hired personnel and will provide free Wi-Fi for residents.
“Community members will use these hubs to apply for jobs, register their businesses on our database, and even unemployed residents will be registered so that when opportunities arise at Liberty, we select from that database,” she said.
She added that the company will implement strict verification processes to ensure that local communities benefit.
Mabaso also committed the company to responding more effectively to community concerns.
“From now on, Liberty is going to respond to communities’ grievances instead of just listening. This is what often leads to protests because people feel unheard,” she said.
The company also plans to roll out corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and support viable community business ideas that can create employment.
“We want the community to know about employment opportunities at every stage of mining operations, from exploration to closure, and we will hire from unskilled to skilled, from uneducated to educated. We will also create practical internships for graduates who need experience,” Mabaso said.
Liberty Coal urged residents to make proper use of the elected forum representatives.
One of the newly elected forum members, Tshepo Mlangeni from Ward 25, welcomed the development.
“I am very grateful to be chosen by my ward. We have been waiting for change in our local areas, and now it is time to work to make that change,” said Mlangeni. “These opportunities are for the Steve Tshwete communities, not people from outside. We will unite as a forum and as a community to make sure no one is left behind.”
Community members also expressed optimism about the initiative. Resident Phindile Ntuli said the forum brings renewed hope to job seekers.
“I am very happy about what Liberty Coal is doing. It has been a long time since we have been looking for jobs while some structures take our little money every month promising opportunities but end up hiring their relatives,” she said.
“What Liberty is doing is a good initiative and we hope everyone will benefit.”
Another resident, Sipho Mgabele, echoed similar sentiments.
“I am also happy about this and hope these issues with some structures will come to an end because we do not benefit from them,” he said. With heated moments at the community hall in Mhluzi, with police closely monitoring the situation, disagreements between certain community members and questions about the proposed structure of representation, the forum was successfully elected.
