Mining policy leadership urgently needed
16 February 2015
Amidst apparent disagreement in his cabinet about mining policy, President Jacob Zuma needs to step in and provide leadership so that potential mining investors have certainty about South Africa's mining policy.
Mineral Resources Minister, Ngoako Ramatlhodi's, reopening last week of the debate about developmental pricing has caused great concern in the mining industry. The whole industry seems perplexed by his indication that government was still considering the designation of strategic minerals as part of its developmental pricing policy.
This comes at a time when President Zuma has just sent the MPRDA bill back to parliament out of fear that this very policy would put South Africa in violation of GATT and thus in violation of our own constitution.
It seems the remarks by the Minister indicate two things: