Latest news with #DavidvanWyk
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
South African mines neglect housing
Studies show up to 70% of mines fail to meet housing commitments, leaving communities without proper homes or basic services. Mining companies operating in South Africa have failed to provide housing for their employees and local communities as required by law, according to recent research conducted by the Bench Marks Foundation. Many mines are surrounded by informal settlements where mineworkers and host communities live. 'South African mines are surrounded by [informal settlements] due to their failure to provide proper, dignified housing for their employees,' said David van Wyk, a researcher for the foundation. Miners remain in informal settlements as companies neglect housing 'For example, we have been calling on a mining firm operating in Marikana, where more than 40 people were killed by security forces, to improve the housing conditions of the people in the area, but to no avail.' Van Wyk said the research also revealed that there was a need for the mining companies operating in the country to strive to bring the mining-affected communities up to similar standards as those in North America and Australia. 'The foundation's latest research, published in our Policy Gap 14, points out that it is unacceptable that South African mines are surrounded by [informal settlements] due to the failure of SA mines to provide proper, dignified housing for their employees. ALSO READ: Post-mining strategy seen as key to economic revival 'There needs to be global uniformity in working and living conditions,' Van Wyk said. The study also found a need for globally comparable wages. It added that the wage gap between South African mineworkers and those in other countries is completely unjustifiable. Wage gap between SA mineworkers and those in other countries 'The weighted mean wage for the lowest-paid categories in mining in the US is $16.21 (about R280) per hour, while in South Africa, the average general mineworker's salary is R177 600 per year, which works out at R91.08 per hour, [that is $4.96 per hour or 30% of the US wage].' According to the study, the mine wage scale model used in SA is outdated and derives from apartheid practices. 'It is time to adapt to global best practice,' the document reads. ALSO READ: Global mining sector revenue fell by 3% in 2024, but gold revenues increased 15% The Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) welcomed the study. Sabelo Mnguni, Macua national coordinator, said the foundation's findings were in line with what 'we have seen and documented in mining communities across South Africa'. 'Mining-affected communities have been living with this reality for decades. Weak enforcement of social and labour plans 'The failure of mining companies to provide proper, dignified housing for workers is a direct result of weak enforcement of social and labour plans under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, combined with corporate cost-cutting that prioritises profits over people.' He said to make things worse, informal settlements are often without basic services such as clean water, sanitation and electricity. Mnguni said Macua's research showed that up to 70% of mines have failed to meet legally binding social and labour plans commitments on housing and living conditions. ALSO READ: Mines in trouble for failing local communities 'This is well-documented through our social audit reports and by various community groups, civil society organisations and even parliament. 'The government must strictly enforce social and labour plans housing provisions and hold mining companies legally accountable for non-compliance, including suspending mining rights where obligations are not met. 'The current proposals in the Act undermine these obligations and try to turn them into discretionary provisions,' said Mnguni. The Minerals Council SA did not respond to questions sent yesterday.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
‘Unacceptable that SA mines are surrounded by squatter camps'
The study also found a need for global uniformity, including globally comparable wages, extending beyond just living wages. Mining companies operating in South Africa have failed to provide housing for their employees and local communities as required by law. This is according to the recent research conducted by the Bench Marks Foundation. It said that most of the mines are surrounded by informal settlements where mineworkers and host communities reside. 'South African mines are surrounded by squatter camps due to their failure to provide proper, dignified housing for their employees,' said David van Wyk, a researcher for the Bench Marks Foundation. 'For example, we have been calling on a mining firm operating in Marikana, where more than 40 people were killed by security forces, to improve the housing conditions of the people in the area, but to no avail.' Van Wyk said the research also revealed that there was a need for the mining companies operating in the country to strive to bring the mining-affected communities to similar standards with those based in North America and Australia. 'The foundation's latest research, published in our Policy Gap 14, points out that it is unacceptable that South African mines are surrounded by squatter camps (misnamed informal settlements) due to the failure of South African mines to provide proper, dignified housing for their employees. There needs to be global uniformity in working and living conditions,' Van Wyk said. Wages The study also found a need for global uniformity, including globally comparable wages, extending beyond just living wages. It further said that the wage gap between South African and Australian mineworkers is completely unjustifiable. 'The weighted mean wage for the lowest paid categories in mining in the United States is US$16.21 per hour, while in South Africa, the average general mineworker's salary is R177 600 per year, which works out at R91.08 per hour (that is US$4.96 per hour: 30% of the US wage).' According to the study, the mine wage scale model used in South Africa is outdated and derives from apartheid practices. 'It is time to adapt to global best practice,' the document reads. ALSO READ: How SA's old coal mines can offer hope for dying towns Settlements are missing basic services The Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) has welcomed the study. Sabelo Mnguni, Macua national coordinator, said the foundation's findings were in line with what 'we have seen and documented in mining communities across South Africa'. 'Mining-affected communities have been living with this reality for decades. 'The failure of mining companies to provide proper, dignified housing for workers is a direct result of weak enforcement of social and labour plans under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, combined with corporate cost-cutting that prioritises profits over people.' He said to make things worse, informal settlements are often without basic services such as clean water, sanitation and electricity. Mnguni said Macua's research showed that up to 70% of mines have failed to meet legally binding social and labour plans commitments on housing and living conditions. 'This is well-documented through our social audit reports and by various community groups, civil society organisations and even Parliament. 'The government must strictly enforce social and labour plans housing provisions and hold mining companies legally accountable for non-compliance, including suspending mining rights where obligations are not met. 'The current proposals in the Act undermine these obligations and try to turn them into discretionary provisions,' said Mnguni. The Minerals Council South Africa did not respond to questions sent yesterday. NOW READ: SA's shrinking mining sector and the policies that brought us here
The Citizen
08-08-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Illegal miner says he will keep digging to survive
After escaping a police raid, an illegal miner says hunger and joblessness leave him no choice but to keep mining. A South African-born illegal miner, one of those who evaded arrest during a recent raid at Sheba mine in Barberton, has vowed to continue because he is unemployed. More than 500 of his fellow illegal miners were arrested in the past few days and have been appearing in court since Monday. The Swazi-speaking artisanal miner, who requested anonymity, said he was a Barberton resident who used to work for local mines. Barberton miner refuses to stop illegal mining 'We are unemployed while we are surrounded by mines, so if someone offers us jobs, we agree because then we will be able to put food on the table. 'To show that the government and the mining firms are failing us, we extracted minerals from the places where they claim there are not enough minerals. 'Most of our people here in Barberton are unemployed, while we have mining operations in the area,' he said. ALSO READ: Number of miners still underground in Sheba unknown Several organisations fighting for the rights of the mining-affected communities are calling on the authorities to legalise small-scale artisanal mining to create jobs. Nolwazi Serero, of the Artisanal Small-Scale Mining Council, said there was hope that the government would, in the near future, formalise artisanal smallscale mining. The department of mineral resources and energy has included a proposed licensing regime for it in its draft Mineral Resources Development Bill, 2025, she said. Large-scale industrial mining in decline Mining expert David van Wyk said since large-scale industrial mining was in decline, there was a need for the state to 'create favourable conditions for artisanal, small- and medium-scale mining and facilitate community-based industries to add value to the diamonds, gold and platinum they extract, such as cottage jewellery manufacturing for example'. Serero said the Artisanal Small-Scale Mining Council was trying to compel the government to legalise and regulate artisanal small-scale mining to benefit communities. 'Areas where illegal mining activities take place should be declared zones for artisanal gold miners.' ALSO READ: Groups warn against heavy-handed raids in tackling illegal miners If this was done, artisanal miners would not operate illegally on large-scale miners' unused territory or abandoned mines that are derelict. It would also enable current informal operations to be formalised and permits to be issued, she said.
The Guardian
13-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
A robotic dog and a tribute to Colombia's cycling soul: photos of the day
Lone Wolf, a military robotic dog, entertains children at the America 250 Celebration at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville Photograph: Karl DeBlaker/AP David van Wyk, lead researcher at Bench Marks foundation, is reflected in a stream of contaminated water leaching from a mine dump at Snake Park. In South Africa, 15-20 million people live close to highly toxic substances such as arsenic, lead and the radioactive element uranium Photograph: Emmanuel Croset/AFP/Getty Images A man rides a rickshaw past fishing boats moored at a port Photograph: Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP/Getty Images A French police officer enters the sea in an attempt to prevent migrants and asylum seekers from boarding small boats. Officers used teargas and pepper spray to try to disperse hundreds of people trying to board boats, but were overwhelmed by the numbers. A record 15,000 migrants have left northern France and arrived in the UK this year Photograph:Patients lie in beds in the underground parking of the Sourasky medical centre in Tel Aviv, in readiness for retaliation from Iran after Israel's attack Photograph: Itai Ron/Reuters A jaguar bares its teeth at the Mata Ciliar association, an organisation for the conservation of biodiversity, in Jundiai. Twenty-five pumas and 10 jaguars are recovering at the Brazilian Center for the Conservation of Neotropical Felines at Mata Ciliar, a site as large as 40 football fields where monkeys, wild dogs, maned wolves, ocelots, and other regional animals are also rehabilitated Photograph: Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images A performer dressed as the Na Tcha deity, a character in Chinese myths and legends, prepares for the traditional celebratory feast at the temple of Na Tcha Photograph: Eduardo Leal/AFP/Getty Images A fire officer inspects the site of the Air India flight 171 crash Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters Destroyed vehicles are pictured outside a building hit by an Israeli strike. It was among 100 targets, including nuclear facilities and military command centres, struck in an attack that killed senior figures in Iran, including the armed forces chief and top nuclear scientists Photograph: Meghdad Madadi/Tasnim News/AFP/Getty Images People carry buckets of mud on their heads during the re-plastering of the Great Mosque of Djenne. Thousands of Malians converge before dawn for the annual plastering of the iconic mosque, in the world heritage-listed historical town in central Mali. First built in the 13th century before being destroyed, the mosque was completely rebuilt in 1907 and is the largest earthen monument in the world Photograph: Ousmane Makaveli/AFP/Getty Images Visitors interact with an inflatable art installation at the Euphoria Art Is in the Air exhibition at the Grand Palais d'ete Photograph: Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images Palestinians flee to the western parts of the Khan Younis after the Israeli army warned that it would launch an offensive against the centre of the city Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images A worker loads food aid in a cargo plane for delivery in Ulang and Nasir counties in Upper Nile State, which have been ravaged by fighting between militiamen and the army, in an operation run by Fogbow, a US company organising the airdrops with funding from the South Sudanese government Photograph: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters Members of the art collective Sand in your Eye take part in creating a 40m-diameter sand drawing of Ludwig van Beethoven on Elie Beach, East Neuk, to celebrate the East Neuk festival, which starts at the end of June Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA A view of the damage to a school attacked by Shahed drones Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Kenyan police look on as an assortment of 7,000 illicit firearms and small weapons, recovered during security operations in the Bulbul area of Ngong district, burn Photograph: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters An installation called The World's Largest Bicycle rises as a tribute to Colombia's cycling soul in the rolling highlands of Tinjaca Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Mining fails to deliver jobs to local communities
Despite R72 billion in profits, mining towns report extreme unemployment and missing development funds. Mining companies are failing to create jobs for the communities where they operate, recent statistics released by the organisation, Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua), indicate. These show that the unemployment rate in communities situated near the biggest mining operations is more than 65%. This means mining firms are not fulfilling their role in the Social Labour Plan (SLP) to create jobs for local communities. Mining firms not fulfilling role in SLP 'Macua is deeply alarmed but not surprised by the latest unemployment data released [last week] by Statistics SA. 'Our research confirms that unemployment in communities located next to some of the wealthiest mining operations consistently exceeds 65%, with some areas having 82% unemployment rate. ALSO READ: Here's why Amplats will still pay Anglo R1.6bn a year after unbundling 'These figures dwarf the official national average. They expose a central truth that policymakers continue to ignore – that the growth of mining profits is not translating into jobs, justice or dignity for those most impacted by the extraction,' said Macua spokesperson Magnificent Mndebele. 'Government leaders parade Operation Vulindlela and sectoral reforms as solutions to inequality and unemployment. But our audits reveal the opposite. 'The mining sector, empowered by expedited licences, deregulation and policy favouritism, has become a site of elite enrichment, not shared prosperity. Site of elite enrichment 'With record profits of over R72 billion from just 11 audited mining companies, communities have seen less than 0.13% of that reinvested in their development. 'Our audits uncovered over R284 million in missing SLP funds across 11 sites, with more than 75% of committed development projects incomplete or undocumented.' ALSO READ: SA opened 159 new mines in five years, creating over 15 000 jobs Mining expert David van Wyk said Macua's report was an accurate reflection of what is happening in the mining-affected communities. 'I fully agree with Macua – mining does not create jobs. This country needs to move up into a post-mining economy. 'On a post-mining economy, I mean that we need not export strategic minerals necessary for manufacturing, for example iron, chrome, manganese, lithium and rare earth minerals. These are all required for manufacturing in general and for batteries and AI technologies in particular.' Need for focused state and foreign investment 'Then we need focused state and a foreign investment to kickstart a manufacturing base.' 'That means moving away from the low-wage economy. We have 60 million people either on low wages or unemployed. They cannot afford manufactured goods. This is a disincentive for manufacturing.' ALSO READ: Millions unaccounted for as ex-mine bosses face court over fraud 'We could, for example, manufacture batteries and cars [not assemble foreign cars as we are doing currently] but make electric vehicles as these are replacing combustion engines globally.' Van Wyk said dying mining towns should be repurposed into suppliers of gas and solar energy using old mine electricity substations to feed solar power from mine wastelands into the national grid, and extract methane from old mine shafts. Large-scale mining in decline As large-scale mining is in decline, the state should create the conditions for artisanal, smalland medium-scale mining and facilitate community-based industries to add value to the diamonds, gold and platinum extracted, such as by jewellery manufacturing for example, he said. National Association of Artisanal Miners spokesperson Zethu Hlatshwayo said mines were not equipping people with skills. 'So mines employ people from other areas.'
