Mantashe wants Mining Charter to be finalised and gazetted by June

Newly appointed Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe on Tuesday maintained that his department would not be drafting a new Mining Charter but was open to having robust and candid discussion around the already existing Charter in order to amend and correct aspects that continued to be a bone of contention.

Mantashe was speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday to inform the public on the draft Mining Charter engagement sessions that happened over the weekend and his department’s immediate priorities for the mining industry.

The minister explained that the meeting, which included all government, industry and labour was an attempt at ironing out disagreements on the Mining Charter 3.

“Uppermost in our minds is that we should ensure that there is policy certainty. In this regard, we need to see finality with regards to the Mining Charter and the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill, with the aim of improving investor confidence,” Mantashe said.

The core concern is that as long as the mining environment is entangled in disagreements, hostile sentiment and regulation, mining companies are much less likely to invest in South Africa.

Statistics South Africa confirmed these fears as it revealed that mining contributed less than 10% to gross domestic product, a far cry from the 21% it accounted for in 1980.

Mantashe explained at the meeting on the weekend has established that “there was a lack of consultation between the ministry and the partners [industry and labour] in the past.

The solution was the formation of two task teams. One will focus on transformation and the Mining Charter, and the other will engage on issues of growth and competitiveness issues. These teams will report back in three weeks.

These efforts seems to stem from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s maiden state of the nation address in which he expressed a wish to intensify engagements with all stakeholders on the Mining Charter “to ensure that it is truly an effective instrument to sustainably transform the face of mining in South Africa”.

Mantashe expressed similar sentiments as he stated that his wish was that “the final Mining Charter will be finalised and gazetted during the first half of this year”.

The minister also expressed his department’s commitment towards “resolving the challenges at Tegeta’s four mining operations – Koornfontein, Shiva, Brakfontein and Optimum.”

His predecessor Mosebenzi Zwane was alleged to have masterminded the sale of Optimum coal mine and other mining assets from Glencore to the Gupta-owned Tegeta Exploration and Resources – a deal that has left the mines in disarray.

Interested parties, including mining trade unions Solidarity, the Chamber of Mines, the South African Mining Development Association, members of the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and key officials and advisers of the mineral resources department all attended the negotiations that took place at Kloofzicht Lodge, Muldersdrift, in Johannesburg on Saturday and Sunday.

Workers union Amcu, was the most noticeable absentee at these negotiations.

	Juniour Khumalo Journalist City Press p: +27 (0) 11 713 9001 w: www.citypress.co.za  e: juniour.khumalo@citypress.co.za
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