Dear Editors and Journalists
The annual African Mining Indaba will take place from 8-11 February in Cape Town, despite a constrained low-commodity price environment and substantial asset impairments among some of the world’s major mining houses. The conference aims to connect investors with mining companies and governments. On the side lines of this conference, SAIIA will host two important events.
The first, a public event on 8 February, addresses the complex question of mining in South Africa’s coastal zones. Mining projects are increasingly encroaching on sensitive biodiversity areas, which raises difficult development questions of how to manage the trade-offs that invariably need to be made. SAIIA has a diverse panel of experts representing all the relevant spheres of governance and affected stakeholders. They will address these development questions before the discussion is opened to the floor.
The second event, an invitation-only Change Makers Forum on 11 February, provides an opportunity for policymakers to find a way forward in relation to the implementation of the African Mining Vision, which aims to harness mineral wealth for inclusive development. This year’s Change Makers Forum will take as its point of departure the prospect of implementing a compact between corporate and government stakeholders that serves both parties, but also addresses environmental impacts and the needs of near-mine communities.
SAIIA Expertise available
SAIIA has experts available on this topic for media interviews. Queries can be directed to Hopewell Radebe on +27 (0) 83 582 1734 or media@saiia.org.za for the following specialists:
- Alex Benkenstein, Programme Manager, SAIIA Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme
- Ross Harvey, Senior Researcher, SAIIA Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme
- Romy Chevallier, Senior Researcher, SAIIA Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme
Related mining research resources
GARP has released a number of papers on extractive projects that entail difficult trade-offs, along with broader research addressing how to harness mineral extraction for inclusive development.
SAIIA opinion articles on the subject:
- Policy reform is key for future of mining, Ross Harvey, December 2015
- Mining licence controversies to continue to jeopardise industry, Ross Harvey, 7 September 2015
- Marikana Commission’s findings cast light on urgency of labour law reform, Ross Harvey, 7 July 2015
- The importance of protecting the globe’s most important ecological assets, Romy Chevallier, 4 June 2015
Research Documents
- ‘Mineral rights, rents and resources in South Africa’s development narrative’, SAIIA Occasional Paper, Ross Harvey, November 2015
- ‘Aligning sustainable development goals with climate-resilient growth’, SAIIA Policy Insights, Romy Chevallier, October 2015
- ‘Corporate social responsibility in South Africa’s mining industry: An assessment’, SAIIA Policy Briefing, Busisipho Siyobi, September 2015
- ‘Promoting the integrated governance of South Africa’s coastal zone’, SAIIA Occasional Paper, Romy Chevallier, June 2015
- ‘Safeguarding Africa’s natural heritage: The case of mining in protected areas’, SAIIA Policy Insights, Romy Chevallier, May 2015
- ‘Increasing the economic value and contribution of protected areas in Africa’, SAIIA Policy Briefing, Romy Chevallier and Richard Millburn, January 2015
- ‘Illegal sand mining in South Africa’, SAIIA Policy Briefing, Romy Chevallier, November 2014
For more information or to arrange for interviews please contact:
Hopewell Radebe
SAIIA Communications Manager
Tel: +27 (0) 11 339 2021 ext. 122
Email: media@saiia.org.za
