The first day of the 2013 Mining Lekgotla has come and gone with much valued and insightful discussion had on the future sustainability of the mining industry in South Africa. It is quite a feat to witness role players come together for posterity’s sake in an industry that is in fact so integral to South Africa’s health, wealth and prosperity.
Anyone who’s anyone in the mining sector came together at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg to expand their minds through insightful discussions and presentations given by the likes of Anglo American’s Group CE Mark Cutifani, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, The World Economic Forum, The National Union of Mineworkers, De Beers, Ernst & Young, and more.
The overall theme of this year’s Mining Lekgotla is competitiveness and transformation with day one completely dedicated to competitiveness. President of the Chamber of Mines of South Africa and Group CE of Anglo American, Mark Cutifani delivered the welcoming address of the first session. Check out what he spoke about here.
A particular focus of the day was the fact that the mining industry, in South Africa and across the world, is on the precipice of great change. The industry is shifting constantly, what with economic slowdowns, the rise of emerging markets, China, intense urbanisation and globalisation, to name a few.
South Africa will have a very important role to play, but it is up to all stakeholders to come together to make it work. In the wise words of Peter Schwartz, Senior Vice-President at Salesforce.com, “A balance needs to be struck to achieve the needs of all stakeholders. There can be no losers. There must be all winners.”
In order to get into and retain the position of importance, South Africa will have to look to investor confidence as a way to boost industry growth, which is a significant challenge. A rise in investor confidence can only come from a more stable and unified industry.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said South Africa will require exceptional leadership from all stakeholders to prove that we have what it takes to invite more investment into the mining sector. “Many would say SA is well endowed with natural resources. But the real challenge is what do you do with them? How do we ensure we become a competitive environment for everyone involved – that is government, business and labour. What are we going to do to attract and retain investment in the mining sector?”
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said in his address that he was confident that the mining industry would overcome the challenges it faces. “Nothing can be truer about the challenges facing the mining industry today, but through mutual cooperation we will beat these challenges for the prosperity of all our people.”
As the day drew to a close, the delegates began to prepare themselves for day two of the 2013 Mining Lekgotla. Wednesday will focus on issues surrounding transformation and growth within the mining industry. Anglo American in South Africa’s Executive Director, Khanyisile Kweyama, will be chairing her own discussion surrounding women in mining, and Norman Mbazima, CEO at Kumba Iron Ore, will be leading discussions around community and enterprise development.