By Rachel Mohamed
In a protest action held today at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s head office in Pretoria, Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) hand-delivered its submissions opposing the amendments to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) and the erosion of rights-based mining governance. This submission comes eight months after the Stilfontein Massacre, which the organisation stresses had a devastating effect on the mining communities.
Speaking to VOC News, Ciaran Ryan, a mining journalist at Moneyweb, argued that the MPRD Act aimed to separate petroleum from other minerals, given the different dynamics between industries.
“They want to keep petroleum separate and isolated. After all, it is a totally different discipline with multiple dynamics and BEE requirements,” explained Ryan.
Ryan further stated that the amendments come during a period of strife for the mining industry as it experiences a decline in output in comparison to ten years ago.
Ryan further comments that the amendments aim to address crucial issues in the mining sector that have been declining for over a decade.
“The fact that the legislation amendments are addressing several crucial issues makes them more significant. For the past 20 years or so, mining has been on a long-term downward trajectory. Mining output is roughly 10% less than it was ten years ago, which is higher than what other nations have experienced due to increased operations and investments,” added Ryan.
Listen to the full interview:
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
