The member companies of mining industry organisation the Minerals Council South Africa have committed to combating gender-based violence (GBV) and harassment of women in the workplace, said its president Paul Dunne on October 7.

In a keynote address during the Joburg Indaba 2026 conference, he said the council reinforced President Cyril Ramaphosa's message on September 29 that the levels of violence against women in the country were unacceptable.

“The violence against women and children in our society is a national crisis that demands tangible outcomes.”

The mining sector had adopted a zero-tolerance approach to GBV and harassment of women and had developed best practices to combat GBV and harassment in the workplace, he said.

“However, interventions must extend beyond the mine gate. We have partnered with the National Prosecuting Authority and the GBV and Femicide Response Fund to strengthen prevention and support prosecution responses in communities hosting mines.

“Our members provide support to victims, not only medical services and counselling, but also legal counselling and assistance to provide police with evidence that can stand up in court, which has resulted in a 78% conviction rate in cases our members were involved in.”

Fifteen Minerals Council member companies have committed millions of rands to build new GBV- and rape-support facilities – Thuthuzela Care Centres – and to refurbish existing centres and support their operational needs.

“Real men do not hurt women and children. There is no room for this in our society,” Dunne asserted.

MENTAL HEALTH
Meanwhile, the council stated that the increasing levels of violence, lawlessness, poverty, municipal decay and living costs were affecting employees' mental health. Mental health and wellness was a key focus area for the mining industry, as it was one of the underlying contributors to fatalities and injuries at mining operations, he said.

“Large mines are akin to small towns, which showcase the full range of human experience and behaviour. Mental health and wellbeing must not be underestimated and we engage with our employees to monitor their mental wellness.

“We cannot expect to ensure the safety of our personnel and operations in an environment in which high-risk behaviour is caused by people struggling with the psychological impact of the society in which we live.

“We have committed to screening for mental wellbeing on a continuous basis and we provide support for mental wellness through our employee assistance programmes,” Dunne said.