In a bid to strengthen its stakeholder relations with the mining fraternity, the metro, which has a rich gold mining history, recently held its first Ekurhuleni Mining Round Table in the Kempton Park Auditorium.
The importance of revitalising the mining forum in the metro was the focus of the day and this was highlighted by MMC for City Planning and Economic Development in Ekurhuleni, Clr Thumbu Mahlangu.
“The absence of engagement results in challenges within this sector piling up, because they are not communicated as and when they occur.
“The forum will ensure that the municipality and its stakeholders work effectively together to iron out challenges and pave a way forward towards the development and sustainability of the sector,” said Mahlangu.
The forum, which will sit on a quarterly basis, comprises of representatives from the Departments of Mineral Resources, Trade and Industry and the SAPS.
Representatives from other organisations will be introduced at the first sitting of the Ekurhuleni Mining Forum.
Lawrance Zwane, a representative from Apollo Bricks, echoed Mahlangu’s sentiments, stating that having a mining forum will provide a platform that will allow the industry to engage the various spheres of government and reinforce compliance in the mining fraternity.
“Coming from a company that depends on the mining of clay to make bricks, we are confronted by many challenges regarding safety and other factors, such as illegal mining.
“This forum will oversee what we do and ensure that all companies comply with the Mineral Petroleum Resource Development Act (MPRDA),” Zwane said.
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