This follows the unexpected indefinite postponement of the judicial review on the charter by the Chamber of Mines and seven community organisations due to start yesterday, after Ramaphosa stated he would engage with the mining sector on the matter in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) last week. “This year, we will intensify engagements with all stakeholders on the Mining Charter to ensure that it is truly an effective instrument to sustainably transform the face of mining in South Africa,” he said.
The chamber instituted the review after the minister of mineral resources, Mosebenzi Zwane, unilaterally introduced the third iteration of the charter last year. The mining industry claimed that some of the empowerment sections were unreasonable, and that there was not adequate consultation with stakeholders in the process.
However, the mining affected communities networks were unhappy with the last-minute change of plan claiming they were not properly consulted.
The Presidency then issued a statement reaffirming "its commitment to ensure that communities are integrally involved in consultations not only on the Mining Charter, but on all matters relating to the development of this sector".
“It reiterates what President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his State of the Nation Address that government is determined to work with mining companies, unions and communities to grow the mining sector, attract new investment, create jobs and set the industry on a new path of transformation and sustainability.
“It is regrettable that there was insufficient consultation on the issue of the postponement. Government will ensure that this matter is corrected in engagement on the Mining Charter going forward,” the statement said.
