President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured mining investors that government is working to tackle the scourge of crime in the sector.
He says besides electricity shortages, criminal activity, which include the hijacking of mines by illegal miners, poses a big threat to the industry.
He was delivering the keynote address at this year’s Mining Indaba in Cape Town.
Ramaphosa says the fact that mining production contracted by 9% year-on-year in 2022 is indicative of the challenges that need to be confronted.
“The South African Police Service (SAPS) has established multi-disciplinary Economic Infrastructure Task Teams that are operational in 20 identified hotspots. In the last six months, these teams have conducted around hundreds of operations and made a significant number of arrests,” says Ramaphosa.
“Transnet has developed partnerships with the industry and private security to address cable theft and vandalism on the freight rail network through advanced technologies and additional security personnel,” he adds.
VIDEO | Mining Indaba | President Ramaphosa delivers keynote address on day 2 of the investment indaba:
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