Mines around Africa are creating economic momentum for new local markets and the spread of technology, supporting a level of social transformation that can be enhanced by more effective dialogue between public and private sector players.
As Cape Town hosted the Investing in African Mining Indaba, the focus again includes ways to harness mining’s contribution to inclusive and sustainable growth.
According to Andrew van Zyl, managing director of SRK Consulting (South Africa), the sector is an important catalyst in fostering intra-Africa trade, as well as opening up value chains in new technologies with significant social benefits.
“Mines play a vital role, often underestimated, in bringing critical mass to the adoption of valuable technologies that would otherwise struggle to gain a local foothold in communities around Africa,” said Van Zyl. “Decentralised renewable energy is a good example, which can rapidly transform livelihood opportunities, productivity and general standards of living among communities.”