Indwe miners call off protest ahead of key meeting

The planned shutdown and march by small-scale miners in Indwe has been cancelled after a meeting was secured with the Eastern Cape regional office of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

In a statement issued, the Indwe Small-Scale Miners, trading as the Indwe Mining Primary Cooperative, said they would meet on Wednesday, 18 March 2026 with Regional Manager for Mines and Mineral Resources in the Eastern Cape, Ms Brenda Ngebulana.

The cooperative said the meeting will focus on the future of its mining activities and community development.

March and shutdown cancelled

The group confirmed that, because of the engagement scheduled for 18 March, the shutdown and march action that had been planned for 20 March 2026 has now been cancelled.

That decision follows support from members of the public in Indwe who signed a petition backing the miners’ cause.

In its statement, the cooperative thanked “all stakeholders, including the people of Indwe” who supported the petition process.

The cancellation of the planned action is likely to come as a relief to residents and businesses who may have been affected by disruptions had the march and shutdown gone ahead on Friday.

Focus turns to talks

Attention will now shift to the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting, which the cooperative says is aimed at discussing both mining operations and broader community development issues.

While the statement does not set out the full agenda for the talks, it suggests that the miners are hoping the meeting will provide a formal platform to address concerns that had prompted the planned protest action.

The cooperative also said the matter had already been officially addressed on the QaMaTa programme, in line with guidance from the regional manager.

No further details were given in the statement about what resolutions may be proposed during the meeting, or whether additional engagements could follow.

Community support acknowledged

The cooperative placed strong emphasis on the role played by the community, thanking Indwe residents and other stakeholders for their continued support and cooperation.

For now, the immediate development is that protest action has been withdrawn and replaced with direct engagement with the regional mining authority.

Further clarity is expected after the meeting scheduled for 18 March 2026.