The reappointment of Gwede Mantashe as the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources gives continuity in the engagements and relationship the Minerals Council South Africa has fostered with Minister Mantashe since his appointment in 2018 to reposition the mining sector to realise its full potential.
The Minerals Council welcomes Judith Nemadzinga‐Tshabalala in her role as Deputy Minister of the Department. Her move from the role of Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation is part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s substantial changes to his Cabinet to reflect the will of the electorate in the May national elections.
The Minerals Council also notes the appointment of Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as the Minister of Electricity and Energy.
“The separation of the minerals and energy portfolios will allow Minister Mantashe to focus on and give urgency to creating the right legislative environment to grow the mining industry by encouraging investments in exploration, new mine development and existing operations,” says Mzila Mthenjane, CEO of the Minerals Council.
“The continuity provided by President Cyril Ramaphosa with the reappointment of Minister Mantashe allows us to persevere and elevate our engagements to create an enabling environment to realise the shared vision of a safe, modern, transformed and investment-friendly mining industry to realise the full benefits of South Africa’s mineral endowment for all our citizens,” says Nombasa Tsengwa, the newly elected and second female President of the Minerals Council.
The Minerals Council will join political parties, business, labour, civil society and other stakeholders to address South Africa’s critical challenges in the National Dialogue that President Ramaphosa announced on Sunday evening.
The Minerals Council, its leadership and members are playing a substantial role in addressing the crises in energy, transport logistics and crime and corruption, with successes and improvements emerging in the country’s electricity supply.
“We are encouraged by President Ramaphosa’s commitment that the incoming government will prioritise rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and the creation of a more just society, to create employment and restore the dignity of many South Africans, by tackling poverty and inequality. We look forward to working with the National Executive, which will serve the country in partnership and collaboration, to address the challenges and assume the opportunities present in our economy and our society,” says Mr Mthenjane.
“We need to prioritise the role of mining in revitalising the economy going into the future as a matter of urgency. It is one of the key drivers of South Africa’s economy through its uncontested multiplier effects which can be realised by creating an enabling regulatory and operating environment,” he says.
A priority for the mining industry in the seventh administration is the need to harmonise the regulatory requirements in various departments to expedite processing of rights to explore, build a mine or expand an existing operation. This requires the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources to lead and co-ordinate amongst the Departments of Water, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, to name a few.
Of equal importance is the implementation of the mining cadastre, a digital platform to transparently and efficiently manage mineral right applications and licences.