Traditional leaders concerned over Mining Minister’s impartiality

18 May 2016

The DA welcomes the submission by the House of Traditional Leaders made to the Mineral Resources Portfolio Committee during deliberations on the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) Bill, that the awarding of mining licenses should be done by an independent minerals body rather than the Minister of Mineral Resources as is currently the case. 

The DA will thus be proposing an amendment to the MPRDA Bill to the Mineral Resources Portfolio Committee in line with yesterday’s call by the House of Traditional Leaders.

The House of Traditional Leaders called for the establishment of a “Minerals and Mining Development Council,” arguing that the awarding of licenses should be“taken over by an independent body… in order to eliminate any future conflict of interest which may arise on those who are vested with the powers to make such decisions.” (our emphasis)

Minister Zwane is deeply embroiled in scandals related to the Gupta family and the sector at large is fraught with corruption. The House of Traditional Leaders has clearly and rightly lost faith in the Minister’s impartially.

Independent regulatory bodies for mining licensing are an established international best practice, particularly where the state and politically connected individuals have a business stake in the mining sector. The House of Traditional Leaders and the DA are both convinced that an independent body is required to ensure that South Africans at large, particularly rural communities, benefit from South Africa’s mineral resources, rather than a handful of politically connected oligarchs.

 The DA is committed to seeing South Africa’s resources used for the benefit of her people, rather than for the enrichment of ANC cronies.

Issued by James Lorimer, DA Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources, 18 May 2016