ZAMDELA — In a bid to defuse escalating tensions, the Fezile Dabi Civic Movement (FDCM), under the leadership of His Royal Highness President Tibisi April Motaung II, has successfully brought industrial giants and government regulators to the negotiating table on Tuesday, 24 June 2026.
The high-level intervention aims to secure economic justice, employment opportunities, and community development for the people of the Fezile Dabi region.
Memorandum of Agreement
The push for localized socio-economic development accelerated after the FDCM submitted a formal Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to Sasol and NATREF. The submission triggered a commitment from Sasol to provide a formal, substantive response within seven (7) days.
In pursuit of a swift and amicable resolution, President HRH Tibisi April Motaung II subsequently led an FDCM delegation to a scheduled special multi-stakeholder meeting.
The critical negotiating session included senior representatives from Sasol, the Department of Employment and Labour, various local Labour Forums, and His Majesty Paramount King Stuart Williams Kok, representing the National Khoisan Kingdom.
Key outcomes and agreements from the session include:
- Immediate Intervention: Sasol and the Department of Employment and Labour have agreed to immediately address the core socio-economic challenges affecting local communities.
- Urgent Follow-Up: A follow-up meeting is being convened on an emergency basis to tackle the immediate crisis and finalize hiring quotas and database verifications.
- Royal Representation: His Majesty Paramount King Stuart Williams Kok will officially sit in on all future proceedings to represent the interests and sovereignty of the host community.
- Demonstration Status: A formally approved 30-day Section 4 public demonstration remains legally valid, but it has been temporarily paused to give the negotiation process a fair chance to succeed.
The Road Ahead
The FDCM remains resolute in its mandate to ensure that local industries prioritize the residents of Fezile Dabi. The leadership has vowed to keep the public and the media briefed as final outcomes materialize in the coming days.
City Report has reported, this systematic and lawful escalation comes after the expiration of formal economic inclusion ultimatums issued to major regional industrial employers, including Sasol and NATREF.
Legal Sanction and Structural Compliance
The movement stated that its Section 4 application, submitted under the Public Safety Regulation of Gatherings Act, has been officially processed and acknowledged by the Metsimaholo Local Municipality Public Safety Department. This notice guarantees that all subsequent public pickets and assemblies will operate within proper legal frameworks, ensuring the demonstrations are fully compliant with statutory regulations.
The shutdown is being driven by several core objectives:
- Economic Demands: The movement is enforcing the immediate implementation of a 70% local hiring and procurement threshold for unemployed residents and local Small, Medium, and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs).
- Administrative Justice: The FDCM continues to advocate for total accountability and the elimination of local municipal corruption.
“Our collective struggle against systemic economic exclusion and municipal complacency has reached a definitive turning point,” Motaung said.
“This Section 4 approval signifies that our demand for local job thresholds and administrative integrity is both legally resilient and right. We are enacting a regulated, total shutdown to secure the economic inheritance of the people of Zamdela, Deneysville, and the broader Fezile Dabi region. We call on all residents to remain disciplined, peaceful, and resolute as we execute this historic mandate.”
