The killing of Somkhele environmental activist Fikile Ntshangase: A joint statement

A joint statement by several human rights and environmental organizations condemning the murder of Fikile Ntshangase, a leader in the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO) who opposed the expansion of a Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd mine in KwaZulu-Natal.

• Fikile Ntshangase, Vice-Chairperson of a sub-committee of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO), was killed on 22 October 2020. She was shot five times in her home at Ophondweni, near Mtubatuba, by four gunmen.
• The killing occurred amidst a conflict over the expansion of a coal mine at Somkhele by Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd. MCEJO has challenged this expansion in court, including a review application regarding a 222km2 area in Mpukunyoni, KZN, scheduled for the North Gauteng High Court in March 2021 and a hearing in the Supreme Court of Appeal on 3 November 2020.
• Fikile Ntshangase had refused to sign an agreement to withdraw MCEJO's court challenges against Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd. She had intended to file an affidavit alleging that some sub-committee members were offered R350,000 in exchange for her signature.
• The expansion of the mine requires the relocation of 21 families from ancestral land. The statement alleges that these families faced violence and intimidation, and that Tendele attempted an urgent court application in May 2020 to force them to accept compensation offers.
• The statement alleges that the KwaZulu-Natal government and traditional authorities have supported Tendele's efforts to pressure the community. This includes the creation of a "task team" involving the MEC for Transport, Community Safety & Liaison KZN to address court cases that the mine views as a threat.

APA

Melissa (2020). The killing of Somkhele environmental activist Fikile Ntshangase: A joint statement. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/news/the-killing-of-somkhele-environmental-activist-fikile-ntshangase-a-joint-statement

Chicago

Melissa. The killing of Somkhele environmental activist Fikile Ntshangase: A joint statement. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2020. https://cer.org.za/news/the-killing-of-somkhele-environmental-activist-fikile-ntshangase-a-joint-statement.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Melissa |title=The killing of Somkhele environmental activist Fikile Ntshangase: A joint statement |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=23 October 2020 |url=https://cer.org.za/news/the-killing-of-somkhele-environmental-activist-fikile-ntshangase-a-joint-statement |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{melissa2020killing, author = {Melissa}, title = {{The killing of Somkhele environmental activist Fikile Ntshangase: A joint statement}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2020}, month = oct, url = {https://cer.org.za/news/the-killing-of-somkhele-environmental-activist-fikile-ntshangase-a-joint-statement}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }