The Department of Mineral Resources will be stepping up its monitoring and evaluation of the mining industry to ensure that transformation does take place, Minister Susan Shabangu said on Wednesday.
“We cannot have … an industry controlled by a Mickey Mouse, we have to be serious. One of the things we are going to do is increase monitoring and evaluation,” she said at the signing of a mining industry strategy for sustainable growth and meaningful transformation in Pretoria.
Shabangu said various practices of the mining industry were unacceptable.
These included workers’ conditions, black economic empowerment contracts where black people were considered tokens, community empowerment projects and skills shortages.
She said the department also had a responsibility to defend the industry.
The department stuck with the previous mining charter’s target of transferring 26% of the ownership of mines to black people by 2014.
“The 26% target is confirmed for 2014,” Shabangu said. — Sapa, Reuters