"Much ado about responsible mining in Africa yields few results", 9 Feb 2017

The African Mining Vision was adopted in 2009 by the African Union and developed by the Economic Commission for Africa. This year, the eighth such indaba was held in Cape Town and was attended by more than 400 delegates from 45 countries in Africa, North and South America, and Asia...In spite of this it seems not much has changed. Africa is still burdened and not blessed by its natural resources...In some cases, government officials see minerals and the resources as an opportunity to line their own pockets, instead of focusing on how these resources can deployed for the benefit of the people and used for socioeconomic development...“Not much has changed.” These were the words of Thumeka Magwangqana, from Sikhala Sonke, a Marikana-based women’s organisation. According to Magwangqana, Lonmin made promises after the 2012 massacre, promises that were never fulfilled. Similarly, if one asked the families of Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyarende, who were working in a container that collapsed into a sinkhole at Lily Mine in Barberton, they would also tell us: nothing has changed. They were promised R200 000 by Vantage Gold Mine but they are still waiting for it. In fact, things are worse for the workers of Lily Mine and their families. The mine faces closure and they have no future...