South Africa - mining

Zuma vows to revamp mining industry

Article published on the 2009-06-01 Latest update 2009-06-01 12:33 TU

South African Prime Minister Jacob Zuma has announced new plans to focus on the mining sector and enforce safety measures in light of the nine miners who died in accidents across the country last week. He spoke to the powerful National Union of Mineworkers this past weekend also outlining efforts to review black ownership in the mining industry which is mainly still in white hands.

"We need to vigorously support and entrench a culture of zero harm in this industry," Zuma told union members. "The safety record of our mines has become a central issue that will be placed under the scrutiny of government," he added.

Mining was the primary industry in South Africa until tourism eclipsed it in recent years, according to correspondent Jean Jacques Cornish in Capetown. The mining industry wielded a lot of power and money during the Apartheid regime, and continues in a more limited capacity today.

"Certainly up north in the Limpopo Province, the local people are not benefitting to the extent that the government believes is the case," Cornish told RFI. "In fact, the trickle down of wealth from mining in South Africa is not what it should be," he said.

This is one issue that Zuma hopes to contend with, as he urged unions and local communities to review their black economic initiatives.

"People feel that despite progressive legislation, the mining industry and government are not doing enough to ensure thay they, too, fully reap the benefits of the mining activities that are taking place," said Zuma.

His new mining minister Susan Shabangu will oversee the first review of mining legislation, including the five-year-old Mining Charter that was instituted to bring more black ownership in mining.

Economists fear an uphill battle, however, as they predicted both the automotive and mining industries would lose up to 250,000 jobs this year. South Africa announced last week its economy is now officially in a recession after two consecutive quarters of contraction.