Subcontractors, labour brokers lead in mining job increases, latest survey reveals

SUBCONTRACTORS and labour brokers led the mining industry to record an increase in jobs between 2015 and 2019, the latest Statistics SA industry report shows.

Released yesterday, the report revealed the total number of people employed in the industry in 2019 was 515 000 – a slight increase of 1%, or 3 700 people in employment, compared with the 2015 figure of 511 000.

Most of these people were employed in the North West (150 000), followed by Limpopo (110 000), Mpumalanga (95 000), Gauteng (70 000), the Northern Cape (41 000) and the Free State (35 000).

Limpopo had the highest gain in employment between 2015 and 2019 at 25 000 people, followed by the Northern Cape and Free State.

The worst provinces in terms of job losses were Mpumalanga (21 000) and North West (13 000).

“There was an increase in jobs across the mining industry, but these increases were recorded by subcontractors, employees from labour brokers and capital employees.

“The number of mine employees decreased over the same period,” the report said.

StatsSA found that 23 000 jobs were lost between 2012 and 2019, with gold mining losing 42 000 jobs and the platinum group metals mining losing 8 000.

In terms of income generation, 79% of total income was derived from the mining of coal, PGMs, iron ore and gold.

The total income in 2019 (R552.1 billion) increased by 23% (5.4% a year) compared with 2015 (R448.1bm).

Mining of coal contributed R156.1bn or 28% to total income, followed by PGMs (R153.7bn or 28%), iron ore (R65.3bn or 12%) and gold and uranium ore (R63.4bn or 11%).

“In 2019, the top four provinces in terms of income contributed 85% or R448.3bn.

Mpumalanga was the largest (R137.3bn or 26%), followed by Limpopo (R106.2bn or 20%), North West (R106.1bn or 20%) and the Northern Cape (R98.7bn or 19%).”