Coal mining to begin at Mhlume, Maloma
LOBAMBA – Two companies will start mining coal in the country as they completed the resource evaluation for mineral at Mhlume and Maloma.
This was revealed during the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy annual performance report debate in Parliament yesterday.
The Acting Minister, Jabulani ‘Buy Cash’ Mabuza, was responding to questions posed by the members of the portfolio committee during the debate. The MPs cited that government conducted a survey that saw the discovery of several mineral sites in the country.
Mining
The legislators questioned on when government would start operating in these sites.
Nkwene Member of Parliament (MP) Vulimpompi Nhleko urged the minister to at least start mining in two mines in the country. He said the opening of mines had the potential of solving the issue of jobs scarcity.
Shiselweni II MP Strydom Mpanza also lamented the snail’s pace by government in opening these mines. He noted that the ongoing unrest of civilians was also fuelled by the scarcity of jobs in the country.
“Government is undermining the power of the mining industry and the potential it has to revive the economy,” he said.
Mpanza said a number of people could benefit from operationalising of the mines.
Meanwhile, the acting minister first explained that government was not compelled to open mines. He stated that government’s job was to ensure that it conducted a survey and discovered the minerals. Mabuza said it was in the hands of businesses to apply for the mining rights.
Worth noting is that last year, the ministry conducted an airborne geophysical survey, which revealed potential mineral target of Kimberlitic diamonds at Dvokolwako, hydrothermal gold in Forbes Reef to Nsingizini. The minister added that iron ore deposits were discovered at Malolotja Wildlife Santuary and Copper-Nikel-Platinum group elements at Siphocosini, Mhlambanyatsi and LaMgabhi. But of these, they still require further evaluation.
In response to the MPs questions and suggestions, Mabuza stated that a prospecting licence had been issued for the Green Chert deposits at Malolotja.
He further stated that two companies completed mineral resources evaluation for coal at Mhlume and Maloma.
“Another two companies were granted prospecting licenses at Lubhuku and St Phillip’s coal blocks,” he said.
Mabuza said if these companies would start mining, in meant more jobs for emaSwati.
Furthermore, Mabuza urged the MPs to understand that if these companies shut down, or decided not to start the mining, it would not be government’s fault, but they would’ve simply failed.