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The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) is comforted by the planned changes towards a more pragmatic approach to mining regulation as outlined by the Honourable Susan Shabangu, Minister of Mineral Resources, at a breakfast sponsored by DuPont South Africa. The work of her Department and the future of mining in South Africa were discussed.

The Minister highlighted that the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) strategy for sustainable growth and meaningful transformation is underpinned by the understanding that growth and transformation should not be mutually exclusive. Constraints such as infrastructure requirements for optimal mining growth are also identified in the National Infrastructure Programmes under the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission. The Minister emphasized that the DMR will ensure that the fundamentals in the mining sector are right, even as avenues for diversification of beneficiation are pursued.

The Minister mentioned that the amendments to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) are at an advanced stage. The purpose of the amendments is to remove ambiguities that create room for multiple interpretations of the law and the streamlining of regulatory requirements for mineral development. The Minister also described the new South African Mineral Rights Administration System (SAMRAD) which enables the lodgment of applications electronically, without the need for a physical visit to a regional DMR office.

The Minister confirmed that Nationalisation would be harmful to the mining industry specifically and to the economy broadly and that is not a policy consideration. She also confirmed that the State-owned mining entity would compete on an equal platform with the rest of the industry. Mr. Carlman Moyo of DuPont South Africa noted that employee safety is important to ensure the sustainability of the mining industry. Mr. Moyo also noted the importance of local content strategies like beneficiation.