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February 2015
MODERN MINING
25
EVENTS
South Africa’s Minister of Minerals Resources, Adv Ngoako
Ramatlhodi, delivers his keenly anticipated keynote address.
A typical scene at the Mining
Indaba, which attracts
delegates from over 100
countries.
a troubled resources sector
Touching on the thorny problem of power
supply, he conceded that South Africa was
experiencing challenges. “We are paying par-
ticular attention to energy as we acknowledge
the reality that there is no mining without
energy. Accordingly, we are supporting and
augmenting Eskom capacity to attain a long
term sustainable financial solution, allowing
renewables to come on line, deploying solar
power, processing applications for private coal
power stations and finding possible partners in
the development of nuclear energy. However,
our crowning glory is the Great Inga project,
where South Africa has signed an off-take con-
tract for 2 500 MW annually by 2023.”
Ramatlhodi’s speech seemed to get a mixed
response from delegates, with some (who
Modern Mining
talked to) labelling it as posi-
tive and others believing it failed to deliver the
assurances that potential investors in South
Africa’s mining sector were seeking. There was
particular skepticism about the power genera-
tion initiatives, not least the promise of power
from Inga (in the DRC), a project that has been
doing the rounds for years with not much