Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu last week expressed confidence that consensus would be reached on the “few” issues still outstanding in the amendments to South Africa’s minerals legislation.

Shabangu told the 123rd annual general meeting of the Chamber of Mines of South Africa that the considerable goodwill would ensure that a common and lasting solution was found.

The Minister reiterated that the main objective of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act Amendment Bill was to streamline legislative processes, remove ambiguities in the legislation and improve administrative efficiencies.

It was, however, also seeking to support government’s mineral beneficiation strategy.

She was positive that solutions would be found through the partnership to the Bill’s few remaining issues.

“I’m positive we will find each other. We are very close to a solution,” Shabangu added, in the presence of outgoing Chamber of Mines president Mark Cutifani, Chamber of Mines CEO Bheki Sibiya and several visiting CEOs from peer chambers of mines in Africa.

She urged the media to stop projecting the components of the mining industry as being “miles apart”.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe had focused on peace and stability and President Jacob Zuma on living conditions for mineworkers, and government had demonstrated the seriousness with which it viewed mining’s contribution to the South African economy.

The National Development Plan, which had been adopted as the country’s long-term socioeconomic development vision, required the economy to be put on a more inclusive, production-led and export-orientated trajectory, which could only be achieved through industrialisation, with minerals as a key input.

The continued existence of the migrant labour system was evidence that apartheid’s impact continued and needed to be eliminated through beneficiation and skills development.

The Department of Mineral Resources had begun to assess Mining Charter performance ahead of the next year’s deadline.

It was of great concern that workers continued to lose their lives and it was unacceptable that mining was still reporting tuber- culosis, silicosis and noise- induced hearing loss despite advances in technology.

Students were finding it difficult to get workplace experience, which was often compulsory in order to qualify, and training spaces should be provided for young trainees as apprentices, learners or interns.