JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Constructive bilateral engagement between Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane and the Chamber of Mines (CoM) has kicked off amid controversy surrounding the shock gazetting of the draft amended Mining Charter last month.
The parties aimed to unpack “pertinent” issues within South Africa’s embattled mining sector – particularly with respect to the proposed revisions to the Mining Charter that had raised red flags in the industry.
Two weeks ago, Zwane published the draft broad-based black economic-empowerment industry charter, providing for a 30-day public comment period, in an effort to “strengthen the charter’s efficacy” to effect meaningful transformation of the mining sector.
Zwane, however, assured that the consultation period would be extended if required after an outcry from industry stakeholders that this was too short a period for comprehensive discussions to be held.
The Minister further moved to assure the industry that the tabled charter was “just a proposal” as concerns were raised over certain provisions of the proposed legislation.
“The Minister is encouraged by the parties' openness and willingness for frank and robust discussions. Engagements continue, and any announcements will be made in due course,” the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) said in a statement.
The CoM earlier noted that the draft would be used as the basis for engagement between the DMR and key industry stakeholders, particularly as the organisation was currently seeking clarity through the High Court on the interpretation of black economic empowerment ownership transactions carried out between 2004 and 2014.