Twelve South African mining companies spent a combined ZAR7.4-billion in one financial year on social development and training and human resources development, according to the Minerals Council of South Africa (MCSA).
Engineering News reports that MCSA has launched a new information-sharing initiative called #MiningMatters to update the public about the industry’s journey as a good corporate citizen. And its relevance in the South Africa economy.
CEO Mzila Mthenjane emphasised that the industry, which has been active in South Africa for more than a century, was also one of the biggest employers in the country.
Last year the industry added more than 7,500 jobs and increased its wage bill by R12 billion to R186.5 billion, as reported by Mining Review Africa.
Mthenjane said a survey of 12 of its member companies – representing about 60% of formal employment in the local industry – showed that they had spent R2.3 billion on socio-economic development, mostly on education and health.
In addition, they spent R5.1 billion on training and development, which translated to between R13 500 and R21 700 per full-time employee across the various sectors.
Extrapolating data from the survey, the MCSA indicates that about 19% of the industry’s total full-time workforce are women, up from 15% in previous years.
Women accounted for 25% of management in the companies surveyed.
“Our industry’s future, and its ability to continue to ensure that #MiningMatters to all of us, depends on the willingness and commitment of people of Mzansi – including government, employees, communities and mining companies – to collaborate to create a conducive policy, legislative and operating environment that will shift the economic potential of the mining sector to performance and delivery for the benefit of all South Africans,” Mthenjane said.
The MCSA has 73 member companies, representing 90% of mineral production across all sectors.
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