"Joint Statement: Mining Lekgotla Fails to Acknowledge and Address Key Challenges in South Africa’s Extractive Sector, say Rights Groups", 15 August 2014...[A group of South African NGOs] has express[ed] their disappointment with...the 2014 Mining Lekgotla [recently held] in Johannesburg...Dubbed a “celebration of democracy and transformation”...the Legkotla has failed to acknowledge...[or] address, key challenges plaguing the sector...Taking place on the eve of the two-year anniversary of Marikana, it is discouraging...that conversations around the future of mining...either deliberately exclude or cannot be accessed by all affected stakeholders...Bonita Meyersfeld, Director of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies notes that “... organisers and participants of events such as the Lekgotla and the Mining Indaba appear to be in denial by not recognising the need for inclusive and accessible discussions.”... “Accessing basic information such as mining licenses, social and labour plans, water use licences and environmental management programmes...is a constant battle...[which] frustrates the realisation of constitutional rights...”, said Melissa Fourie...Director of the [Centre for Environmental Rights]...Gabriella Razzano, Head of Research at...[Open Democracy Advice Centre] notes that proactive disclosure...“is in the public interest given South Africa’s...commitment to accountable and transparent governance and recognition that...natural resources must...[benefit] all South Africans...”