Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the government will allocate funding toward geological mapping and exploration to harness the country’s critical mineral reserves.
This announcement aligns with remarks made by the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe. Earlier in the week, at the African Mining Indaba 2026 conference in Cape Town, Minister Mantashe stated that one of the government’s objectives is “accelerating responsible exploration.”
Mineral exploration has long been a controversial issue in the Republic, with many government attempts to advance exploration projects facing opposition from environmental groups.
Last year, multinational corporation Shell faced numerous court challenges, culminating in the Constitutional Court of South Africa declaring that the licence granted for seismic exploration off the west coast of the Republic was “unlawful.”
Speaking to VOC News, Neville van Rooy, community outreach coordinator for The Green Connection, expressed hope that an innovative framework will be developed for the African continent—one that prioritises environmental protection for the betterment of South Africa’s future rather than for the benefit of multinational corporations.
“It is important that Africa’s needs be prioritised, that African people be prioritised, and that the African environment be prioritised—our ocean, our water, and our land. It is time to introduce a new and fresh framework for exploring our minerals for future purposes. African needs and African development must come first, not the global North or multinational companies,” van Rooy stated.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
