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After the 29 May elections, South Africa’s mining sector wants to maintain recent progress made on the power and logistics fronts, and is calling for policy reviews of major regulations such as the Mining Charter to bring it up to date with the country’s current challenges

According to the Minerals Council of South Africa, the mining sector is an important contributor to South Africa’s fiscus and its citizens. Over the last financial year, the South African mining industry contributed R425.6 billion or 6.2% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The value created by the mining industry can expand the economy since it will increase the availability of competitively priced, locally manufactured products coming from our industry sector. Harnessing investments and establishing manufacturing facilities can be done in a sustainable, environmentally friendly manner, alongside new ways of harnessing energy.

Concurrently, there has been a notable decrease in both gold production and workforce within the gold mining sector (Figures 3 and 4). South Africa’s gold production peaked in 1970 at one million kilograms of gold, the highest recorded by any country in a single year. This figure has since steadily declined to just 100 000 kilograms by the end of 2023

Mthenjane says mining industry leaders are keen to establish a discussion platform after the national election. Read More

Mining industry leaders are keen to establish a new platform after the national election that can bring business, labour, government and civil society groups together to discuss how to boost the industry’s performance and set it up for growth into the future, says Minerals Council SA CEO Mzila Mthenjane.

Mine employees earn among the most competitive wages in the major job sectors, securing their lives and livelihoods as well as those of their families, says the Minerals Council South Africa.

Sibanye-Stillwater, one of SA’s largest private sector employers, is forging ahead with R2.5bn worth of renewable energy projects, despite facing several land claims that delayed the projects for up to 18 months.

The presence of South Africa’s gold miners in the global gold mining industry has shrunk in recent decades, and the sector is now too small to significantly benefit from high prices – but severely impacted by low prices.

Since the dawn of democracy, South Africa’s mining sector has undergone a remarkable transformation, reshaping the lives and livelihoods of its workforce and communities. With mine employees now earning competitive wages in the major job sectors, securing their lives and livelihoods as well as those of their families.