SA at risk of losing mines and jobs

Many years hard-won gains in transforming and sustaining SA’s mining industry may be lost if the sector fails to recover from its current tailspin, according to the global network of consulting engineers and scientists, SRK Consulting.

“Operating under increasingly demanding conditions, mines have greatly improved their performance in social imperatives — including safety, health, remuneration, affirmative action, social responsibility and environmental care,” said SRK corporate consultant Roger Dixon.

Much of this had been achieved under difficult mining conditions, rising costs, unreliable infrastructure and volatile – often depressed — commodity prices. In addition, productivity levels on deep-level gold mines had dropped — eroding their global competitiveness.

Nonetheless, the sector continued to employ substantial numbers, with each employee supporting up to five or 10 dependants. These mines also sustained several secondary industries that provide massive indirect employment.

“To sustain our mature mining industry, we need a regulatory framework that facilitates close collaboration between government and the private sector, to nurture and prolong the survival of these labour-intensive operations – but we are seriously concerned that this framework has collapsed,” SRK partner Andrew van Zyl said. of