Mining Weekly reports that trade Union Solidarity on Wednesday disclosed the contents of documents it has submitted as part of a court case to have the third iteration of the Mining Charter set aside.  

Speaking at a media briefing, Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) head Connie Mulder said the union would act as a friend of the court in support of the Chamber of Mines’ (CoM’s) court application to have the Charter set aside.  The revised Mining Charter was introduced by Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane in June 2017 and has been strongly criticised by the mining industry.  The CoM has applied for a judicial review of the document.  “The Charter contains several clauses that raise concerns, such as the clause regarding prospecting rights, which stipulates that companies need to be 51% black-owned.  This would hinder the industry and foreign investment into the country,” Mulder said.  He added that mines were long-term investments and it could take up to 17 years for them to become profitable.  “If you want to scare off foreign investors this is a good way to do it.  There are not a lot of people who are willing to start a company where they do not have a lot of control over their own capital,” he stated.

• Read this report in full at Mining Weekly
• Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online
• And also, Mining Charter ‘will result in a cost burden’, says Solidarity, at SA Labour News

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