MINERALS COUNCIL SOUTH AFRICA CALLS FOR URGENT INTERVENTION IN VIOLENT ORGANISED CRIME AFFLICTING THE SECTOR

Johannesburg, 20 December 2019: The Minerals Council South Africa has called for urgent intervention by the Ministers of Police and Mineral Resources and Energy to prevent and investigate the violent assaults by heavily armed intruders on mining company targets, especially smelt houses. In the past year alone, the gold industry alone has suffered nine significant attacks that have seen employees and security personnel held hostage and assaulted. Two people have been murdered in two attacks, the most recent being an attack at Harmony Gold’s Kalgold Plant this morning.

Roger Baxter, CEO of the Minerals Council, comments that the lack of resources and capacity within the SAPS to prevent these violent assaults, which are largely driven by organised crime, is a major threat to the industry and places the lives of innocent people at risk.

“Essentially, the industry is under siege. These crimes are hurting South Africa’s investment and economic prospects and urgent action is required.”

Mr Baxter has reiterated the industry’s call for a special policing unit to be established to deal with crimes of this nature. The dedicated unit that was previously in place was disbanded some years ago.

The Minerals Council extends its condolences to the family and colleagues of the security official that was murdered at Kalgold.

Statement issued by Charmane Russell, Minerals Council South Africa, 20 December 2019