Mzila Mthenjane

THE Minerals Council has remained a vocal champion for the South African mining industry under the level-headed and thoughtful Mthenjane. Highlights in 2024 included a commitment with the government and unions to new 10-year health and safety targets for the industry, building on the huge progress that has been made on this front. There has also been a thawing of the relationship between the industry and the often-combative minister responsible for mining, Gwede Mantashe. 

The Minerals Council has found a renewed sense of purpose since the formation in June 2024 of South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU), which is reaching out to the private sector to address the many challenges that are constraining economic growth and job creation. Mthenjane pointedly made reference to the GNU at the Down Under mining conference in Perth in September, noting that it had boosted investor sentiment and business confidence as talk about structural reforms is translated into reality. The Minerals Council will play a big role in these initiatives, which are focused on power, logistics and crime and corruption. 

One big item in Mthenjane’s inbox is boosting exploration, which has withered in South Africa in the face of souring investor sentiment, regulatory uncertainty, and a backlog of unprocessed applications for exploration and related rights. The former head of stakeholder relations at coal miner Exxaro Resources, Mthenjane is also behind the Council’s drive to improve community relations, which can be a flashpoint of unrest.