SA Official Says Miners Miss Mandated Black Ownership Goal
(REUTERS) -- South Africa's Mining Minister said on Wednesday that mining companies had not achieved a state-mandated 26 percent black ownership target earlier than expected, countering the industry's claim.
The Chamber of Mines said in August that black ownership among its members averaged 28 percent and had already surpassed the 2014 mining charter targets designed to spread wealth among the black majority in a key economic sector.
They are far from that, I need to indicate, Susan Shabangu, Minister of Mineral Resources, told parliament during question time.
Your Anglo's, your BHP, if those companies have not achieved, how then can you say that most of them have achieved the 2014 target. They have not, Shabangu said.
South Africais the world's top platinum producer and a major gold producer.
She said the presentation to parliament in August by the Chamber of Mines, an industry body representing the interests of mining companies, was incorrect and that they had alluded to this in subsequent meetings.
But what was presented to the portfolio committee by the Chamber, by the CEO was incorrect. I just want to state that and they've alluded to that, Shabangu said.
Government has not yet given its perspective on how poorly or well mining companies had done in achieving the Charter targets.
Shabangu said there are many factors attached to the Charter which are required for companies to be considered compliant and at this stage they were not.
We are engaging with them with an intention to ensuring 2014 we are better, they have achieved, she said.
In August, the department of mineral resources said they were reviewing mining laws to strengthen penalty provisions for non-compliance.
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