Mining transforms the once sleepy Tubatse
The province’s economy grew from second smallest — just above Northern Cape — at an annual R31-billion in 1995 to R231-billion in 2014. This was achieved mainly through the opening up of the bushveld mining complex. Mining contributes 27% to Limpopo’s provincial GDP and the province has 41% of the country’s platinum group metals, mostly in Tubatse. The province also accounts for 50% of the country’s coal reserves, mainly in the Waterberg region.
Mphahlele said it took lots of research and consultation with investors to lure them to the bushveld mining complex. One of Leda’s functions is to ensure that key stakeholders share a common vision and pull in the same direction. “We had to negotiate noseto-nose with mining companies to say to them, come and mine,” said Mphahlele.
A provincial mining roundtable, which sits every two years, was established to enable all stakeholders to iron out obstacles. He said they had to first understand the investors’ needs and also lay down the groundwork for mutually beneficial co-operation. Government worked on ensuring that mining houses have access to water resources, which are key to their operations. This included structural changes to the Flag Boshielo Dam to release 16 cubic million metres of water for mining operations.
But now, with almost two-dozen new mines set to start operations in the area, the need to upgrade the road infrastructure has been identified.
According to Mphahlele, when the mines eventually begin operating at optimum level, it will translate into a heavy-duty truck taking to the already congested road every five minutes to transport mineral ore to the smelter near Polokwane, in the northwest of the area. “We need to improve the road infrastructure. The R37 is under pressure.”
To this end, said Mphahlele, they are now looking into a long-term solution: creating a rail link to ease the pressure on the road, which is the main artery that connects the Tubatse region to the northern and western parts of the province.