The Select Committee on Land Reform, Environment, Mineral Resources and Energy had successful meetings yesterday in Kathu in the Northern Cape with the mine managers of all mines in the province. The committee also met with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and Transnet to discuss the economic development of mining host towns and communities in Kathu, among other things.

The committee was accompanied by its Northern Cape counterpart, the Portfolio Committee on Finance, Economic Development and Tourism together with the mayors of John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality and Gamagara Local Municipality. The meeting followed past interactions between the committee and communities in this province and in other provinces on the implementation of the requirements of the Mining Charter and the benefits communities derive from it.

In these interactions, the communities highlighted various shortfalls. Yesterday’s engagements focused on aspects of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002, and stipulations contained in the Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter for the Mining and Minerals Industry, 2018 (Mining Charter, 2018). Issues discussed included human resource development, employment equity, mine community and rural development, procurement, ownership and joint ventures.

The committee had further meetings with the DMRE, the mining industry and Transnet on various Transnet-related operational challenges for the activities of both established and new mining ventures in the Northern Cape. The discussion focused on the main rail transport mode connecting the province with port infrastructure in the Western Cape.

A major concern related to the restrictions experienced in rail transport and an increase in heavy vehicle activity on main transport routes, making these routes hazardous to normal road users, as the industry shifts towards greater use of road transport. There are also associated socio-economic impacts that the increased activity has in small towns along the transport routes.

The committee Chairperson, Ms Tebogo Modise, welcomed the various presentations from the mines, Transnet and the DMRE on all the issues and their answers to questions posed. “The committee is satisfied and is aware of what is happening in the towns and thank you very much,” she said.

The Chairperson of the provincial Portfolio Committee on Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Neo Maneng, told the mining managers that the communities surrounding the mines expect them to develop their areas. The people in the communities claim that the mines are empowering people who are outside the district, while local people are ignored. It is also alleged that mines do not comply with their social labour plans and this needs to be addressed urgently, Mr Maneng said.

The committee will today meet with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, the Land Commission, the former Community Property Association (CPA) Board, traditional leaders and the provincial Portfolio Committee on Agriculture.

Source: Parliament of South Africa