‘Blunt’ tools for grievance management and the complexity of injustice: a case study of operational-level grievance mechanisms on South Africa's platinum belt

This article examines operational-level grievance mechanisms and claims for justice in mining territories. It draws on data collected in platinum-producing regions in Limpopo, South Africa, through interviews, observation and extensive engagement with mine representatives, aggrieved community members and other actors involved in efforts to address protracted issues in the area. By investigating both the intent of such mechanisms and the de facto processes by which issues are raised, expressed, and addressed in a single case study, it reveals the incompatibility of narrow, overly-simplified policies and the complex experiences of injustice – often ambiguous or illegible at first – that inform complaints and expectations for remedy in extractive locales. These ‘blunt tools’ for grievance management leave both employees implementing policies, and community actors urged to make use of it, frustrated and disempowered. In its shadow, parallel systems emerge to negotiate over issues. The study sheds light on the limitations of grievance procedures and on the inherent political nature of these quasi-adjudicative processes managed by private actors. The paper identifies the chronic under-resourcing of grievance mechanisms as a key policy gap, arguing that meaningful reform requires substantial investment in personnel, monitoring, and accessibility.