By BAKANG MOKOTO
30 January 2025- The North West University (NWU) principal and vice-chancellor, Prof Bismark Tyobeka said the mining sector must make headlines for the right reasons. Tyobeka said South Africa is not a refuge for illegal miners and their exploitation tactics.
He further said Stilfontein is a name irrevocably connected to South Africa’s mining sector. Toybeka added that it is high time that the country makes global mining headlines for the right reasons.
“The saga of the illegal miners in the Buffelsfontein Mine in Stilfontein caught the attention of global news agencies and painted a very skewed picture of mining in South Africa. It was and still is disheartening. We should be able to dictate what the picture of one of our most valuable sectors looks like.
“Our mines are resources of immense value, and they can contribute even more to the fortunes of all South Africans. We need the world to know this and we need the world to see this,” said Tyobeka.
He said in 2023, the mining sector contributed more than R200 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tyobeka said it is a sector that employs more than 470 000 people.
“These are not insignificant numbers. The mines are feeder veins to their surrounding communities and a lifeline to countless households. That is why the NWU is actively pursuing the establishment of our School of Mines and Mining Engineering, which will be based in Rustenburg, to address the evolving needs of South Africa’s mining industry.
“The mining sector remains the backbone of South Africa’s economy, fuelling job creation, exports and industrial growth. Rich in minerals like gold, platinum and rare earths, mines are pivotal to global supply chains,” he said.
Tyobeka said with responsible governance and innovation, mining can drive sustainable development, uplift communities and secure the nation’s economic resilience. He said from 3 to 6 February 2025, Cape Town will play host to the Investing in African Mining Indaba, which is the largest conference of its kind in the world.
“The country and the continent need events like this to show that we will not be defined by failures that make for sensational reading, like Stilfontein, but by current successes and those to come.
“We are the world’s largest producer of platinum, with about 70% of global production hailing from South Africa. We are also a notable exporter of gold, iron ore, manganese, chromium, diamonds and more,” said Tyobeka.
He said South Africa is a global mining power, not a refuge for zama zamas and their exploitation tactics. Tyobeka said South Africans should take hands and work together to show the world who they are.
The Guardian 