The South African Chamber of Mines on Thursday welcomed the appointment of independent researchers to investigate the nationalisation of South African mines.
“The approach by the African National Congress (ANC) to appoint independent researchers is lauded, as this will not only increase the credibility of the findings but will also ensure a wider support of those findings once the investigation has been completed,” Chamber CEO Bheki Sibiya said in a statement.
He said the chamber was willing and prepared to provide the researchers with the necessary support by making information available.
“As the Chamber of Mines, we sincerely hope that all stakeholders will respect the process and give space to these independent researchers to conduct the study.”
The ANC Youth League is leading a push for the nationalisation of South Africa’s mines.
At the ANC’s mid-term policy review conference last year, a resolution was adopted to probe the viability of the contentious policy.
The ANC’s highest decision making body, the national executive committee (NEC), was tasked with conducting the probe.
The NEC will report its findings to the ANC’s policy conference in 2012 and a final decision on nationalisation will be taken at the party’s national conference in the same year. — Sapa