African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema on Saturday called for the government to have a 50% ownership in South African mines.

"We are calling for the South African government to have 50% ownership. This model is very successful in Botswana. The government there uses the profits it generates from mines to subsidise essential services," said the ANCYL leader.

He was addressing the ANCYL regional conference in Durban.

Malema said he did not understand why people overreacted when the Youth League raised the issue of the nationalisation of mines.

"People need to understand that if you nationalise you are not calling for people to go and grab mines. We are not calling for anarchy."

He said government needed to implement the 50% ownership in a way that would not undermine the current ownership of mines.

"Government must wait until the license of a certain mine expires and say, we will renew your license on condition that you work with us."

Malema accused mining companies of not doing enough to uplift communities where mines were situated.

"In Sikhukhune for example, there is huge platinum mine but no investments have been made in the area. They have not even built a road there. The government has built it for them."

Malema also questioned Anglo American's decision to appoint a
British national to chair its board, saying that a South African should have been appointed.

"About 40% of Anglo American's work is in South Africa but they decided to appoint a man from Britain."

Malema again said black people needed to be appointed to positions that dealt with economic issues.

"The gist of the struggle was economic and political emancipation. We have the political power now and we now need economic power."