The mineral wealth of South Africa

… the cause of one of the longest political squabbles in the world

Minerals constitute the source of materials from which our machines are built, and mineral fuels supply the energy that powers the machines.

Minerals are the forces behind the world’s industrialisation – and no single industry can survive in the absence of minerals, as almost all industrial goods are, one way or another, the products of minerals – be it a cellphone, pot, radio or jewel.

The mining of minerals in South Africa has been going on for the past 155 years.

South Africa is home to more than 151 types of minerals, of which 91 are gemstones, and it is an undisputed leader in the production of gold, platinum, chromium and iron.

At a certain point in the past, that country produced more than 50% of the world’s supply of gold.

The gold fields of Witwatersrand, which opened for the first time in 1886, proved to be of enormous material benefits to South Africa, and are largely responsible for the acceleration of the economic development of the country and the growth of the economy to a level undreamed of at the beginning of the 20th century.

By the year 1976, there were more than 265 gold mines in South Africa.

The mineral wealth of South Africa is expected to contribute 8.2% or N$ 785.10 billion to the country’s GDP of N$9.5744 trillions in 2022.

The GDP of South Africa is about 47.87 times more or 4687.2% higher than that of Namibia. Geologists around the world had come to the scientific conclusion that no country of comparable size has as many mineral deposits as South Africa.

This means that South Africa has the highest numbers of mineral deposits per unit area in the whole world.

It has been reliably claimed that the largest diamond ever discovered in the world is from South Africa with an estimated value of more than N$3 million and is on permanent exhibition at De Beers’ headquarters in London.

As a result of the ever-expanding demand for and use of minerals and due to the scarcity of minerals around the world, South Africa is looked upon by the western countries as the country likely to meet many of their future mineral requirements.

This was claimed by Dr CB Coetzee in 1976.

The mineral resources of South Africa are, without question, the economic catalysts that ignited the socio-economic development of that country leading it to become the most advanced economy on the continent.

The minerals of our southern neighbor will definitely bring to that country a direct monetary benefit of N$8 trillions in the timespan of ten years from today at the current rate of mineral production and the prevailing prices of the minerals.

The wealth that will continue to play a pivotal economic role in South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

The mineral wealth of South Africa is a blessing in disguise as it has been the cause of many political conflicts and squabbles in that land and beyond. It is believed to be the cause of Anglo-Boer war.

Similarly, it is one of the reasons for the beginning of the fight against apartheid in that country which received the most hysterical attention of the world and roped in the major economic and political powers of the globe causing what was arguably the biggest and most prolonged military conflict on the African continent since the end of the second world war.

Today, the said wealth is the subject of heated debate both in parliament and outside of it.

The champion of the pronationalisation of mines in the name of Julius Malema is the latest man to add to the long list of those who try to get the minerals of South Africa make a meaningful contribution to the alleviation of poverty in that country.

I hope that any policy that should be adopted in that country regarding the control of the mining industry and its contribution to the welfare of the people of South Africa should be made amicably, democratically and sensibly in the best interests of all the people of South Africa without employing deceptive and economically destructive antics.