Modern Mining February 2015

EVENTS

Subdued Mining Indaba reflects

While it would probably be an exaggeration to say that this year’s Mining Indaba in Cape Town had an air of gloom hanging over it, there was no question that the ‘buzz’ that normally surrounds the event was absent, or at least muted, reflecting the downturn in commodity prices and the recession in world mining. Nevertheless there was a line- up of top speakers to listen to and in this article Modern Mining’s Arthur Tassell looks at just some of the more significant presentations that were given.

P robably the most eagerly awaited address was that by ex-UK Prime Minister Tony Blair . As befits someone who now ranks as one of the world’s highest paid speak- ers, he gave a fluent and compelling presen- tation which was generally well received by his standing-room only audience (although journalists were miffed by the instruction that they could neither record nor photograph his speech). He told delegates that he was very op- timistic about Africa, pointing to the fact that ten of the fifteen strongest growing countries in the world were on the continent. “If you take the continent as a whole and compare it with where it was 20 years ago, the progress has been enormous,” he said. Blair’s qualifications to talk on Africa stem as much from his African Governance Initiative (AGI), which he established several years ago and which currently works in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria and Senegal, as from his years as UK Prime Minister. The AGI advises African governments on how to achieve good governance (among other things) and Blair told Indaba delegates that the quality of government was in fact the key to unlock- ing Africa’s potential, adding that African countries needed to prioritise the creation of infrastructure, including power generating capacity, and the quality of education. Given that he was speaking at a mining convention, he sang the praises of the mining industry which he characterised as “absolutely vital for Africa’s future”. The Minister speaks Another much anticipated address was by South Africa’s Minister of Minerals Resources, Adv Ngoako Ramatlhodi , with delegates clearly seeking assurance on the future of

Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007, addresses Mining indaba delegates.

“Our intention is to establish a new South African mineral- based National Champion. This champion will be community based with a strong worker participation and anchored and run along business principles ... .” Ngoako Ramatlhodi, Minister of Minerals Resources

South Africa’s mining industry. He said that “given the centrality of mining to the econ- omy of the country, we are leaving no stone unturned in providing a stable environment for investments.” He continued: “I am fully apprised of the restructuring plans of some of the major play- ers in the industry. Rather than bury our heads in sand, we have decided to take advantage of the new situation and turn adversity into advantage. In this regard, I am satisfied with the conversations taking place between us and the industry. Our intention is to establish a new South African mineral-based National Champion. This champion will be community based with a strong worker participation and anchored and run along business principles, shepherded by a leadership that is prepared to stay in for a very long time. That leadership should not leave the flock in the veld and run for greener pastures. This, then, constitutes the fundamental characteristics of the champion we seek to build, be it a single commodity crea- ture or a multi commodity enterprise. It could also mutate into several creatures carrying with it the many small producers we are building. The underlying principle here is broad based. The era of individual empowerment is gone.”

24  MODERN MINING  February 2015